Making Up For Lost Time
by Nothing You Can Prove
Summary: Max won't leave Chloe again, especially not now when she needs her the most.
1. No-One Cares

**So, I wrote this a little while ago, before the Warm Bodies story. I was going to keep it a private thing, but I thought I may as well put it out there if I've written it. This is actually the first fanfiction I ever wrote while waiting for episode 4 to come out. I have altered it a bit but the basic story is still the same.**

 **I just thought I'd put it out there while I'm getting everything sorted for the other stories. Plus, I need to write more Pricefield stuff. As much as I enjoy writing Maximum Victory and other ships, Pricefield still remains my OTP (Damn episode 5)**

 **This takes place near the end of episode three when Chloe drops Max off at Blackwell after finding out about Rachel, before Max goes into the photo. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter One: No-one Cares**

 **Max's POV - Chloe's Truck**

She is crying…

Chloe Price never cries. Not even when she dislocated her shoulder after trying to show off on her skateboard. Well, maybe she did cry, but she would definitely beat the living shit out of anyone who claimed otherwise. A lesson which some had to learn the hard way. I watch in silence as she aggressively swipes at the tears rolling down her cheeks with one hand, the other clamped onto the steering wheel as her knuckles turn white from the vice-like grip.

This time is different from before. The physical pain of the dislocation faded away pretty quickly and Chloe was back on her skateboard in no time, whizzing around the street of Arcadia as if nothing had ever happened. This is emotional pain. A wound that has been re-opened over and over again with each new fucked up addition to her life. There has been no time for it to heal properly, so it has festered.

I look on helplessly, knowing there is nothing I can say or do at this point to make anything better… I am part of the problem after all. As this thought crosses my mind, I sink back in the seat. Guilt floods my body as I finally get to see the physical manifestation of the many years of Chloe's suppressed pain. Ever since the age of fourteen, she has experienced so much… too much and it defined her, made her bitter about life and distrusting of others.

Part of me always wonders what would have happened if I hadn't moved to Seattle then. While William's death remained the worst thing Chloe had ever been through, me leaving right after and failing to contact her had only made things so much worse. Two of the people closest to her had upped and left without warning, leaving her basically alone. That's when Rachel Amber came along and provided her a reason to trust and smile again. Until now anyway. After finding out about Frank and Rachel's relationship, Chloe has been pushed over the edge. My jaw clenches at the thought of Rachel's betrayal.

 _I can't believe that Rachel did that to Chloe. How can anyone do that?_

While I'm innocent, what Rachel has done was beyond anything I can comprehend. After knowing what Chloe has been through, the fact that she so blatantly messed around makes my blood boil. I don't know exactly what Rachel was to Chloe, but it's painfully obvious that she loved Rachel and still does. Even more than she wants to admit. For her to find out especially like this…

Chloe's beat up truck stops abruptly in front of the main campus of Blackwell Academy. She doesn't say a word… she doesn't have to. I know she is not-so-subtly hinting for me to get out. As my eyes roam over her face, one filled with both unadulterated anger and utter despair, I make a decision. One I should have made from the outset.

 _I am_ _ **never**_ _going to abandon her again._

"No." One single word that I vow to stand by to the end, no matter what happens.

I've been running away from her for too long, worried that she'd be angry at me. That was selfish of me to think only about myself and not considering her feelings in this. I'm terrified now that she will reject me. That she will hate me forever, but that is irrelevant. All that matters is Chloe. I glance over to her, seeing her jaw tense and her brow furrow. She refuses to answer me, continuing the silence and staring directly ahead of her.

"I'm not getting out." I state firmly as my resolve strengthens, determined never to leave her again.

She continues to avoid my eye contact, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Finally, after what feels like an eternity of awkward silence, she mutters. "Then I will."

Before I have a chance to react she reaches out for the truck door and opens it. She throws herself out of the truck, slamming the door before stomping away. I panic, stumbling out onto the pavement and run as fast as I can to catch up with her. Chloe's height gives her an advantage, each stride taking her further away from me. Each time I get close to her, she picks up her pace. I can see her slipping away from my grasp.

 _What if something happens to her and I'm not around to save her this time? I could never forgive myself._

"Chloe…" No answer. If we continue like this, she will disappear from my life and never return. I pant heavily from the sudden excursion of running, now wishing that I was fitter.

 _I can't let that happen…_

"CHLOE!" I shout as loudly as my lungs will allow, the desperation in my voice echoing around the empty street.

That is when she finally snaps, stopping abruptly and turning on her heel to face me. I manage to prevent myself from plowing into her at the last second. Physically, we are so close now, closer than we have been in almost five years… yet it still feels like we are so far apart. Maybe even more so than before. It just goes to show that distance isn't the only thing that can separate people. Time can too and often to a more drastic extent.

The atmosphere is tense as Chloe glares at me, years of seething anger finally bubbling over as she snarls. "What Max, what do you want?! You finally want to fucking talk to me, huh? Well, I don't want to hear it."

The harshness of her tone makes my entire body freeze. I have never seen her like this before. As kids, she never really got angry at me. She liked to pretend she was, but I could tell by her strained face that she was just doing it to mess with me. Now though…

Taking advantage of my dazed state she breaks out into a run, trying to get as far away from me as she possibly can. She's not just trying to escape me right now… she's trying to outrun her past. To hide from it so she never has to deal with all the pain it caused her. I shake myself back to reality and immediately give chase, unwavering in my determination.

I can't lose her, not again. I have lost her so many times already. She's already been shot twice and ran over by a train. She doesn't remember… but I do. I was the one who had to hear her begging, screaming and crying. I was the one who had to watch her struggle, suffer and inevitably die. I was the one whose heart has been crushed into a thousand pieces each and every time.

 _I am_ _ **not**_ _going to let it happen ever again._

My pace slows as I come to the sudden realization that I have lost sight of her. I search around frantically for any small sign, almost unable to breathe from chasing her.

"Chloe," I call out receiving silence in reply. "CHLOE!" I cry out as I collapse to the floor, my body slumped as I place my head in my hands. I've lost her… again. Unable to keep my composure any longer, I break down into tears, holding my knees as I sob uncontrollably. "WHY?!"

 _Why can't I keep her? Why is the universe trying to separate us?_ _I can't go through this again. I need her… fuck._ My fingers dig into my legs, a sharp pain entering them. It hurts… but it doesn't come close to the pain of losing her. _Why can't I just stay with her? It's not fucking fair._

I sit there and cry until I physically can't cry anymore. Once the tears have subsided, I wipe my now red and puffy eyes on my hoodie sleeve and take a deep calming breath. I need to stop bottling everything up. It's not healthy. My limbs feeling shaky as I stand up and brush myself off. I close my eyes and do the only thing I can… I rewind.

* * *

This time I'm ready for the harshness in her voice, the betrayal. It still hurts to hear, more than I could ever express with words, but I'm prepared. Unlike before I don't stop, which resulted in me colliding straight into her, knocking her onto the floor with immense force.

 _Damn it, Max. Why do you have to be so clumsy?_

As the initial dizziness from my fall subsides, I become more aware of my surrounding. A bone-crunching crack and pained groans come from beside me where Chloe now lays. I don't even have to look to confirm that she's broken something. I glance down at her, her face contorted in pain. Panic floods my mind as she lays there unmoving.

 _I don't want… this. I don't want to hurt her. That was the last thing I ever wanted. Shit._ It gets harder to breathe as I stare at her, my throat constricting tighter and tighter. _I can't… I can't breathe._

Tears sting at my eyes and blur my vision as I look on in despair at the one girl I swore to protect with every fiber of my being. The girl I've now hurt in so many ways because of my stupidity, the girl I'm still hurting.

 _Max, come on now, deep breaths. Don't panic._ I inhale deeply, trying to push the numerous images of the times I've failed to save Chloe out of my head. The ones that both happened and didn't. _You can fix this. Just rewind._

* * *

This time I stop before we collide, instead grabbing onto her hand. She immediately shakes me off, not even flinching. _Damn it._

"Leave me alone, Max." Her voice echoes around me, threatening to engulf me. I ignore the doubts and press on.

 _I can't leave her like this. I_ _ **can't**_ _! Not again._

We finally reach a dead end, Chloe skidding to a halt as she realizes she is cornered. She desperately looks around for an escape, but there is none to be had. She is trapped with her only option being to face me. After a moment, she turns around and gives me a look of complete resentment. If looks could kill, I would be six feet under.

It seems like she might try to ram me in one last ditch attempt to escape, so I get there first. I push her up against the wall with all my might, causing her to yelp in surprise as her back hits the brick wall of the alleyway. I press my body against hers, restraining her arms so she can't fight back. Her eyes are briefly filled with shock at the sudden turn of events, however this is only fleeting. The anger soon returns, overriding every other emotion, except a very faint hint of fear.

"What the fuck, Max?" she growls as she struggles against my hold. "Did you not hear what I said? I don't want to talk to you."

I tighten my grip on her to ensure she doesn't get the upper hand. One thing I know about Chloe Price is that she isn't afraid to play dirty. If she sees an opening, no matter how small, she will take it. I may not be strong under normal circumstances, but this was hardly an everyday situation. There is no way I can let her slip away again, at least not without telling her how I feel. My head felt like it is going to explode, the throbbing making it difficult to concentrate. _I don't think I can physically withstand another rewind, so I have to make this time count._

Chloe continues to wriggle against my vice-like hold, her composure slipping away by the second, "Why are you following me?! Is this some sort of penance thing for abandoning me for five fucking years?! If you help me, everything else, all the tears I've cried, all the feelings of betrayal I felt, every fucking waking moment I sat there and questioned why, all the conclusions I came to that I wasn't worth anything, that I was not destined to be happy will just… disappear?!" The venom in her voice makes me flinch involuntarily. "Well, it doesn't work like that."

My eyes soften as I watch her unravel before me. It breaks my heart to see her like this. To hear the agony in her voice and see the desperation in her eyes. I have never seen her like this before. _What has the world done to you, Chloe?_

In my moment of weakness, she almost manages to break free. I respond by applying more pressure, refusing to let go for even a second. She finally gives up, glaring at me. As I meet her eyes, they glisten with unshed tears. She hates crying, especially in front of others. That's why she is so keen to get away. So I can't see how vulnerable and scared she is.

 _I won't let her… not again._

She suddenly loses all control, her voice escalating by the second, "Everyone just fucks me over eventually. They use me and then when they are done, they just discard me. No-one cares about me! No-one _**loves**_ me! Not my mom, not my dad… _**not**_ _**Rachel!"**_ She pauses for a second, her eyes becoming steelier. **"NOT EVEN Y-"**

Before she has the chance to continue, I push my body hard against her and press my lips to hers.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, have a super day and see you next time.**


	2. The Face Of My Anxiety

**Hey guys. Hope you are doing well. Stuff in bold is either memories or conversations in the character's mind. You'll see when you get to it. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: The Face of My Anxiety**

 **Chloe's POV - Alleyway**

I just stand there, stunned and completely unable to think properly. All I can register is the pressure of Max's body against mine and her lips pressed against mine firmly. My brain short circuits at the sudden contact. This is not like before when I dared her to do it. Something has changed. _What is going on? I just chewed Max out and then out of nowhere she is kissing me._

After a few seconds, Max pulls away. She looks so pissed, but there is also a faint flicker of fear and apprehension in her blue eyes. I have never seen this side of her before. Sure, I've seen her angry. Her expression of anger usually consists of her pouting and squinting her eyes at the offending person, quite often me when I've done or said something stupid, which happens quite a lot, but this… this is different.

She is practically fuming now, her entire body shaking uncontrollably and her face contorted into one of unadulterated fury, "Chloe Price. Don't you fucking complete that sentence. How _**dare**_ you say I don't care, that I don't love you." She began, her voice strained to maintain its calmness and escalating by the second. "A) I have saved your fucking life three times now. B) I've had nose bleeds and fainted because you wanted to toy around with my powers. C) I have helped you search for Rachel." At the mention of Rachel's name, my teeth gritted and my hands clenched into fists. After everything we'd been through, I thought I meant something to her… I was so stupid. I should know by now that people only stick around for as long as you're useful.

Max took a deep breath and continued in a more composed manner. "Hell, I broke into Blackwell, stole money for you, even fucking kissed you. How do any of those actions scream out 'I don't care or love you'?"

 _Oh no, Max you're not getting away that easily. You can't just come back into my life and expect everything to just go away. It doesn't work like that._ I stare into the eyes of the girl I once called my best friend, the girl I would have happily followed to the ends of the earth just because we could… the girl I now have no clue how to feel about. She doesn't falter when she meets my gaze.

"A) If you hadn't been there to save me the first time, you wouldn't have even known I was dead because you failed to even send me a fucking emoji in five years, let alone cared." I begin in as calm a voice as I can muster. Max's expression of anger dissipates, replaced with guilt and regret. My heart sinks in my chest at this drastic change, causing me to pause for a moment. No matter how angry and resentful I feel right now, I can't stand to see her like this. _Don't make that face, Max. I don't want to make you feel bad, but… I need to tell you how I feel._

"B) Why should I believe you unconditionally when you say you have powers? You could have been bullshitting to try and stop me from being pissed at you," even though I had seen Max's powers in action, I still found it hard to believe. Anybody would. "I had every right to test you and yes, maybe I just wanted a bit of fun for once in my fucking life. I'm sorry if that's so bad." My voice gets progressively louder as I continue and I find it harder to keep the bitterness from it. Max winces as I speak, looking away momentarily as I release my pent up frustration. _Keep it cool, Chloe. Max doesn't deserve to be used as a punching bag._

I inhale deeply, clear my throat and continue more steadily. "We did not break into Blackwell. I had keys. If I didn't take the money, Frank would have hurt me… or worse. Besides, you were the one who said it would loosen Frank's lips."

When I get to point C, I feel physically ill. _How the fuck could Rachel do that to me? I thought she cared. Obviously not. Yet another person who shits all over me. Fuck everybody._ The anger boils inside of me, pulsing through my veins and threatening to bubble over. _I can't let it take over. I can't… I…_

" **Chloe, why do you keep asking me that?" She questions, her hazel eyes a mixture of mild annoyance and a slight flicker of pity.**

" **I want to know." I persist, unwilling to let her get away with not answering me properly again.**

" **You already know." She moves her head away from me, pushing her long blonde hair over her shoulder to reveal the blue feather necklace she is so attached to.**

" **Can you stop being fucking cryptic for once and tell me straight?" I demand, wanting desperately to be released from this uncertainty and dread, but also being drawn further in. Her face like stone and her eyes cold, enticing me further into this limbo. I hate this, but also I can't get enough. She is my angel, but also my demon. My cure, yet my disease… Rachel.**

" **I can't." She mutters, refusing to meet my eyes as she plays with the earring.**

 _Why can't you just tell me that you fucking love me or release me? Why do you keep plaguing me? You aren't even fucking here._

" **Why? Why can't you?"**

 **She falters for a second then sighs and faces me again. "Because, my dearest Chloe, I… can't. Just… enjoy the ride."**

" **But… don't you love me?" I ask, searching for some sort of sign… anything. She says nothing. "Then let me go. Tell me you hate me." Still nothing.**

I slowly feel myself begin to unravel and my eyes burn from holding back tears. "C) Rachel _fucking_ betrayed me, so she's no better than you!"

" **TELL ME!" I demand, unable to remain in this state of limbo any longer.**

 **She offers me a sad haunting smile, one that sends shivers down my spine. "No."**

I finally lose all control, giving myself over to the unstoppable torrent of rage surging through me. "LASTLY, YOU KISSED ME BECAUSE I FUCKING _**DARED**_ YOU TOO!"

* * *

 **Max's POV**

I can't look at Chloe now. She has every right to be angry with me and I have no right to take everything out on her. I know exactly what she looks like right now without needing to validate it. It would be the same as when William died, that look of betrayal, confusion, and fury… the look that broke my heart the first time round.

I loosen my grip on her, letting her off of the wall and exhale deeply. "I'm… I'm sorry, Chloe."

She takes a breath about to continue her angry monolog, telling me that no matter how many times I apologize that it wouldn't make up for the time I left her all alone at the worst possible time and then pretended that she didn't exist for five years. _She would have every right to say those things… but I can't ever forgive myself if I don't tell her._

"I… really don't know how, or even if, I can ever make up for what I did to you," Chloe's face softens ever so slightly as I continue. "You're right about a lot of things. I… was a complete asshole for not contacting you. You had every right to test if I was telling the truth about my powers. I did say that it would help us with Frank if we took the money and I don't even want to think about what he would have done to you if we hadn't." _Don't even think about that, Max… don't._

Chloe looks as if she is going to interrupt me, but I can't let her, not now when there are still important things to be said. There may not even be a later. I interject before she has the chance to take advantage of my momentary silence, my voice strained with my attempts to remain collected.

"However, there are some things that you are so wrong about." At this, Chloe's brow furrows in confusion, but she doesn't say anything so I press on. "Regardless of what you think, I do care about you. I wouldn't have run after you or… kissed you otherwise." This memory brings a flush to my cheeks. I had acted on impulse, not thinking just doing. Part of me realized that this would stop her, the other part… wanted to. Chloe scoffs at my words, but I ignore her and continue. "Think about it. Whenever we played truth or dare when we were younger I never did the dares, hell I rarely answered when I picked truth. You called me Max 'the Coward' Caulfield for an entire summer after I refused to jump out of your bedroom window, remember? So why would I do it unless I really wanted to and it meant something?"

Chloe scowls at me, her tone dismissive. "Well, that's easy to explain. You have powers now so you can be more confident. You know that if you fuck up, you can just rewind and pretend like it never happened." I cower at the bitterness in her voice, but what is more painful to hear is the lack of trust. _That kind of hurts. I thought Chloe trusted me, that she knew I would never manipulate her like that. I don't blame her, I've not proven to be the most reliable person, but still…_

My heart sinks in my chest at her insinuation and my body feels weaker as I stutter. "Chloe, I… I promised you that I wouldn't use my rewind power on you. Well, except for when you… get involved in a compromising situation." I don't want to say… die. I know that I would lose it. It's hard enough that my brain wants to remind me at every possible moment, regardless of whether I'm awake or asleep. I don't need it to be vocalized for the whole fucking world to hear.

Flashes of the past week run rampant in my mind… _the reverberation of the gunshot and the thud as her body hit the cold bathroom floor stained with the ever growing pool of red blood oozing from her wound. The metallic ping as the bullet ricocheted straight into her chest along with the shock and then desperation in her blue eyes. The vibrations of the tracks as the train sped towards her, threatening to tear her apart with its wheels as her distressed pleas echoed around the forest…_

I shake my head, trying to clear my mind of these horrific images. Every time I wake up I panic, thinking that I've lost her, that I couldn't save her… that I failed her one last final eyes begin to burn from the tears forming in my eyes. _I can't fail her again._

"How do I know, though?" Chloe questions, holding her ground. "I don't have any idea when you use your powers."

 _Chloe, I… I wouldn't._

I stare at her earnestly, hoping that she'll believe me. "I didn't rewind. I kissed you and I let you know I had. Doesn't that… mean anything to you?" I pause, feeling a pang of guilt enter the pit of my stomach. Chloe has literally just found out that Rachel had been with Frank and I didn't even think. I just did what I want to do without considering her feelings… as per usual. With a heavy sigh, I continue. "If I really didn't want you to know I could have just rewound, but I didn't. Heck, why did I kiss you just now? You didn't dare me, so why?"

After shrugging, she shoves her hands in her pocket as she leans against the wall. She refuses to meet my eyes, her voice coming out flat and emotionless. "I don't know how your brain works, Max. Maybe it was just to shut me up so you could lecture me like everyone else does. Joyce, David, Rachel…"

Chloe's eyes betray her emotions for a second before they turn steely yet again. She feels around in her jacket pocket and pulls out a cigarette box along with her lighter. With quivering fingers, she takes one and, after a few failed attempts along with mumbled swearing, manages to get it lit. She closes her eyes and leans her head against the wall as she inhales deeply, the smoke engulfing her as she breathes out and her body relaxing a fraction.

After a few moments of awkward silence, she throws the cigarettes to the floor, stomps out the remaining embers with her boot and looks back to me her voice wavering. "No-one really gives a shit. They don't care about how I feel as long as they can use me."

"I give a shit." I protest, wanting her to understand that I care about her… even though I haven't really shown it up until this week.

Chloe scoffs, "Yeah, you care so much that you bailed on me for five years." She doesn't even sound angry anymore, just defeated. I could never win an argument with Chloe, she always had to be right. I remember we spent an entire week debating whether pirates or aliens were more badass as kids. She insisted it was pirates. _It looks like I've lost this one… again._

"Well, it looks like I can't win this line of argument," I reluctantly concede. "So I will move onto the final thing I want to say, then you can say whatever you want." Chloe remains silent, so I take this as a sign to continue. "No matter what you say about anything else, there is one thing I want to be made _absolutely_ clear." At this point, my resolve falters and a lump begins to form in my throat, restricting my words. I swallow hard to loosen them and press on my voice low. "I am _**nothing**_ like Rachel."

Chloe's brow furrows, her eyes full of confusion. _You've said it now, Max. You have to continue._

I take a deep shaky breath to steady myself, "All anyone in this town does is compare me to Rachel, and to be honest I am… so sick and tired of it. Even you Chloe, wait no especially you. We can't do anything for more than five seconds without you mentioning Rachel. I mean, your catchphrase is 'I just wish Rachel were here'." Chloe opens her mouth to protest, but I don't let her. "I get that you miss her. I get that she was special to you. I get that she was here when you needed someone… when you needed me, but… I'm here now, and hearing you say that… hurts every time."

 _Come on, Max. You're nearly there. Don't cry._

* * *

 **Max's Mind - The Junkyard – Chloe and Rachel's Hideout**

In my mind, I am sat on a makeshift seat in the middle of Chloe and Rachel's junkyard hideout. The weathered walls are covered in messy graffiti and crumpled posters, the floor littered with pieces of yellowing paper and various trash. My eyes fall on the remnants of Rachel's presence. The makeup on the makeshift table, the photo of her and Chloe smiling and posing, the CD _Rachel's Songs,_ the fraying friendship bracelets… and the confessional letter thrown in a small metal trash can in the corner. A shadowy figure emerges from the misty darkness closing in on me as I am frozen to the spot. A photo, a pretty face, a missing girl… a lost lover. An unfamiliar hushed voice engulfs me, it is suffocating and I'm drowning in it.

 _ **Max…**_ I turn my head towards the voice and squint my eyes as Rachel Amber comes into view, her long blonde hair flowing behind her as she approaches me, her hazel eyes cold and calculated. _**Max, they hate you. They wish I was here. Not you. Why would they want you? I'm so much more than you can ever be. You know that. You've seen how… dedicated Chloe is to me.**_

These are words I don't want to hear, can't hear now. _Stop._

 _ **Do you really think she would choose you? Do you?**_ Rachel asks, continuing her relentless attack.

 _Please, no more._ I place my hands over my ears to block out her harsh words.

She steps fully out of the darkness, walking closer and closer. I try to move away from her, but can't. She comes up behind me, removes my hands from my head and wraps her arms around my body. Then she leans closer to my ear, her voice returning to little more than a whisper. _**Because I don't.**_

 _No more._

 _ **She would drop you in a heartbeat if I turned up, and you know that. No matter how hard you try to fool yourselfie,**_ her lip quirks upwards in a twisted smirk. _**Ha. Sorry, I couldn't resist.**_

 _Why are you doing this?_

I feel her breath, hot on my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. _**Oh, Max. Why… to help you realize of course.**_ Other figures appear from the darkness, Rachel pointing them out. I can vaguely make out some of the faces. Kate, Victoria… Chloe. Their eyes are shut, faces expressionless. Rachel approaches Chloe's inanimate figure and runs a manicured finger along her jawline before turning back to me. _**These people don't care about you. You need to realize that. Stop living in a fucking dream world.**_

 _I'm not._ I protest weakly.

 _ **Oh, but you are. Once you realize this, you can be free.**_

Her words sound so compelling, overwhelming me. I can't give in. _Chloe is my best friend._

Rachel lets out a short derisive laugh. _**Good one. She's not though, is she? If she was, you wouldn't have abandoned her.**_

 _I…_ My words are cut off before I can even voice them.

She offers me a smug lop-sided smirk. _**Are we running out of excuses? Can you really see anything coming of this? Chloe is just using you as a 'Rachel Replacement'. Can't you see it?**_

 _No._ I maintain, trying desperately to escape this nightmare.

 _ **Yes.**_ She corrects, looking at me pityingly. I try frantically to escape, my body held to the seat by Rachel's vice like grip. As I struggle, her hold tightens, her fingers gently caressing my pale skin. _**There is no point, Max. You can't escape me… you never will.**_

* * *

 **Alleyway**

"I'm sorry that I… can't be Rachel. Maybe it would've been better if… I had disappeared instead. I'm sure that would have made everyone so much happier, but… I can't change that. Unfortunately, you are stuck with me. The 'Rachel Amber replacement'." My voice breaks and my control falters as the tears I have been suppressing suddenly refuse to obey my commands. I feel them coming and don't even bother trying to stop them… I don't have the energy.

* * *

 **Max's Mind - The Junkyard – Chloe and Rachel's Hideout**

Rachel rests her chin on my shoulder, her whispers tickling my ear. _**That's right Max, just… disappear.**_

I shake my head, unwilling to listen to her. _Chloe needs me._

 _ **No…**_ she sighs, sounding almost apologetic. _**She needs me.**_

Her words resound in my head, slowly chipping away at the last of my hope. _Maybe… maybe she's right. Chloe doesn't need or… want me._

Rachel's hold tightens on me as my body slumps in the seat. _**You know I'm right. I'm sorry, Max. Don't worry, I'm never leaving you. I'll always be here.**_ She strokes my cheek, her long nails gently brushing against my skin. _**We can stay here forever in the dark. Just you and me. You'll never be alone again.**_ She untangles herself from me and moves around in front of me. She leans in until her face is inches from mine. _**I love you, Max. I always will. We will never be apart. No-one else cares but you don't need them. You only need me.**_

A twisted almost predatory grin dances across her features before she presses her lips against mine. She digs her fingers into my skin and bites my bottom lip, gently pulling at first. She is consuming me, tearing me apart. She is my fear, my doubt… she is the face of my anxiety. I close my eyes offering no resistance, ready to give up and accept my dismal fate… to lose myself. Then I see Chloe's smiling face, hear her words of encouragement and realize that I can't just give in now.

I pull my head back, open my eyes and glare at Rachel. _No._

Her eyes widen in shock at my sudden resistance and she pulls back, her hold on me loosening. _**What?**_

 _NO!_

* * *

 **Alleyway**

My body shakes and my hands clench into fists as I speak, "Well, I have something to tell you. I am _**not**_ Rachel, I am _**not**_ a stand-in for Rachel and I don't want to be compared to her in any way. I am my own person." My voice escalates now, piercing the heavy silence hanging in the air between us. "I AM MAX FUCKING CAUFIELD, THE SHY HIPSTER CLICHÉ GEEK AND I AM PROUD TO BE ME!" I slump down the wall of the alleyway, my head in my hands as the tears roll down my cheeks. "Even… even if no one else is."

* * *

 **I've used Rachel as the personification of Max's anxiety and self-doubt, the one person she is constantly compared against by everyone. This is the sort of scene I wanted in episode 5. Rachel plays such a big part in Max's life at this point, that I thought we might get a scene where she imagined her at least.**

 **Remember, no matter what your anxiety tells you, you are doing fine just as you are. You are amazing, beautiful and talented. You are worth something. Never forget that. That doesn't just apply to anxiety, but to anything that makes you feel inadequate or alone or whatever.** **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you next time.**


	3. Pirates or Aliens?

**Hey guys, here is the next chapter for you. Enjoy**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Pirates or Aliens?**

 **Chloe's POV - Alleyway**

Max sits there with her head in her hands, sobs wracking her body. It is painful for me to watch her breakdown like this. As I watch on helplessly, I realize what a complete idiot I've been this entire week. Of course she would feel this way. Everyone compares her to Rachel, indirectly hinting that Rachel is better than her… some not so indirectly. It must have made her feel so insecure, so inadequate. I was so busy wrapped up over things that happened five years ago, six months ago, ten minutes ago, that I missed the important thing. What is happening here and now. I've made Max feel like a backup plan. My last resort. She probably thinks I'm only hanging out with her because she has powers and can help find Rachel. Then after everything is said and done that I'll leave her behind to pick up the shattered pieces.

I walk over to where Max is sat and join her. She hugs her knees tighter when I get close to her, our shoulders lightly brushing as we sit there in silence, broken only by Max's muffled tears. I lean my head back against the wall and exhale deeply. _What do I say to her?_

As time passes Max's crying quietens, but her head remains buried in her arms. Max was never a stand-in for Rachel. If anything it had been the other way around. Rachel was there when Max wasn't, but that doesn't mean that she isn't important to me. I'm just really bad at expressing it.I tentatively reach out and touch her shoulder, my voice gentle. "Max, I…"

She finally lifts her head. Her face is emotionally drained, eyes full of defeat, voice flat and monotonous, "It's okay Chloe, you don't have to say anything. I just go off on a tangent sometimes and get carried away." She lets out a half-hearted self-depreciative laugh. "Just ignore me."

I've seen this exact look before. She is shutting down, closing herself off and putting a wall around herself so the world can't hurt her. This is exactly how it had started for me. _I can't let that happen to Max. It changes people. I don't want Max to change at all. I love her the way she is. I need to do something, say something quickly… before it's too late._ I shake my head, my brow furrowing and my grip on Max's shoulder tightening. "No, I won't just ignore what you're saying, Max. It doesn't work like that."

Max's hollow, hopeless blue eyes pierce mine. The way she is looking at me right now makes my heart drop in my chest. My face softens at her pitiful expression.

I'm such an idiot. I had all I needed right here, I just couldn't see it. I know Max wouldn't have left if she'd had the choice. We were young, it's not like she could refuse. Yeah, she didn't call, but she was probably scared. She didn't know what to say or how to act after… everything. I wouldn't have either. Is there even a right way? The important thing is that she's here now. She's done so much to help, been through so much because of me and I just didn't think. I've been wallowing in self-pity, blaming her for every little thing. She saved me so many times, from being shot, from getting hit by David, from getting run over and so much more. If she didn't care, then she wouldn't have gone to such extreme lengths to save me. She has pushed and pushed herself and has listened to me going on and on about how I've felt, but I haven't listened to her. _Damn it, Chloe. Max is your only true friend, the only person you can count on and you've made her feel exactly how you did._

I sigh, rubbing my face with my hand, "Max, all I have done the entire time you have been here is talk about how I miss Rachel and blame you for abandoning me when I should have been saying how much… I've missed you and how glad I am to see you again." Max continues to stare at me blankly as I speak. "It's something I've been dreaming about for years. I had it all planned out, what I was going to say, but when I saw you all the feelings I had tried to suppress overflowed." I pause, thinking over how poorly I have handled everything. "That wasn't necessarily my mistake. I had a right to be angry and… I think you agree. What was wrong is that I continued to use that against you at every opportunity, wielding guilt as my weapon against you. I shouldn't have done that, and I'm sorry."

Max looked genuinely shocked at my admission, her eyebrows raised and her mouth slightly agape. She probably thought that I would rip into her, telling her that she wasn't my friend and that I didn't want anything to do with her anymore. I could never do that.

I rub the back of my neck, "Look Max, I'm… not really good at expressing myself but I just want you to know that these past few days have been the happiest I have felt in a long time. They have also been the craziest and scariest days, but being with you…" I shuffle closer to Max and put an arm around her. Her body tenses momentarily before she relaxes and rests her head on my shoulder. "Having you around to make sure that I'm safe sort of counteracted the scary parts. I mean, it was still hella weird, but when isn't it weird when we meet up?"

Max's lips quirk up into a small smile. "It's definitely been scary Chloe, but being with you again has made me feel kind of invincible." I'm getting through to her slowly. At least she is talking now. _Just a little more..._

I squeeze her shoulder gently, "I'm really grateful that you saved me so many times, and not just from getting shot. You're helping me search for Rachel." My voice catches when I say her name. I still don't know what to make of the information we found on Rachel, but one thing was for certain… I'm going to find her and make her answer for everything.

Max reaches out and touches my hand, rubbing small circles on the back of it. She always used to do this when we were kids. Whenever I was upset, I always used to find my way to the Caulfield house.

* * *

 **Past – Outside Caulfield House**

 **I slowly stumble along the familiar street to the Caulfield house. As the pain shoots through my body, I wince.** _ **Damn, they got me good. I need her now.**_

 **Trying to ignore the throbbing, I stagger forward. In the distance, I can see the house I have come to know almost as much as my own. My heart races in anticipation of seeing Max, even in my broken state.** _ **Nearly there, Chloe.**_

 **My feet drag along the path as I approach the door and knock weakly on it. After a few moments, I hear shuffling and footsteps on the other side. It opens to reveal Max. The second she sees me, she grins. "Chloe, I was wondering when y-" Her face suddenly drops as her eyes widening with concern as she looks over the cuts and bruises. "What happened?" Almost immediately, I launch myself at her and bury my head into her shoulder. She wraps her arms around me tightly, rubbing small circles into my back. "I'm here."**

* * *

 **Present – Alleyway**

"That means a lot to me, Max. More than I can ever say. I unfairly took my anger out on you when we found out about… well, everything. I still don't know what is really happening, but I need to find Rachel so I can have some closure and I really need your help to do that. I understand if you don't want to and I'm not going to order you to. I'm asking you." My eyes plead with her to help me, knowing that I probably don't deserve it.

After a second she nods, "I'm never leaving you again. I'll always be there for you Chloe. Always." Her answer causes me to sigh in relief. _It feels good to have Max on my side. She always is._

She repositions herself to hug me, her hands clutching at my clothing as if she's trying to confirm that I'm actually real. It breaks my heart to think about her having to do that, constantly confirming that I'm here. I find myself holding onto her just as tightly. It's not only Max who needs to check that this is real. I've lost too many people. After months of telling myself that Max would come back, I eventually gave up. I accepted everything and hardened. Even if the circumstances aren't ideal, I'm so glad she has come back to me. We stay like this for a few minutes, neither of us willing to let go. Her arms feel familiar as they hold me. _I guess we just need to confirm that we are both here, together._

After what seems like an eternity, I gently disengage, "Thank you. I really do appreciate it. I can't do it without the help of our resident hero, Super Max." I nudge her, managing to get a chuckle out of her. "I really don't know how you manage to keep your shit together after everything you had to see, Max. I don't know if I could have done it."

Just imagining having to see Max die over and over again, each time more brutal than the last, is too much to handle. I wouldn't have been able to do it. Max is the only constant in my life right now. The only person who really cares.

I stand up using the wall to help me up, "You just had to pretend that you hadn't seen it, but it's not that easy. It must be taking its toll. So let's go somewhere and forget everything for a few hours." I offer Max my hand to help her up, ready to make our way back to my truck.

* * *

 **Max's POV – Arcadia Bay Forest**

The leaves of the trees rustle in the gentle breeze that laps at my skin and ruffles my hair, the sun casting an orangey haze on the well-travelled path and the sound of running water from the small stream along with the cheerful chirping of birds fills the air. Chloe is a little way ahead of me, humming quietly as she strolls through the forest with her hands shoved in her pockets. She seems considerably happier after our chat, more at peace. _I think Chloe and I needed that. She has been through a lot, and so have I. We both let everything build up until we exploded. We haven't had much chance just to enjoy being together again. Sure, we still need to find Rachel but, maybe we can have some fun along the way._

Chloe glances back over her shoulder at me, beckoning with her hand. "Come on Max, keep up slowpoke."

I pant lightly as I step up my pace. "Chloe, don't forget that my legs are shorter than yours. I have to take like eight steps for every one you take."

Just as I catch up with her, she grins mischievously, "I have a better idea." With that, she breaks out into a full-on run, calling back to me over her shoulder. "Catch me if you can."

 _She's just a big kid. Maybe we both are._ I smile to myself as I chase after her as fast as I can. She soon starts to pull away, getting lost among the swaying trees. She's always been faster than me, ever since we were little. I have no idea how she does it.

"Chloe, slow down." I shout, my voice echoing around the silent forest. After a few moments I stop, doubling over and panting as I scan my surroundings. Chloe is nowhere to be found, causing my heart to race. My throat becomes dry and beads of cold sweat trickle down from my forehead. Panic begins to rear its head, threatening to consume me.

 _Max, it's fine. Chloe is alive._ After taking a deep breath and repeating this over and over again repeatedly like a mantra, I stand up straight and begin to search again, weaving through the tree and undergrowth. _Where is…?_

"Booyah!" someone collides into me, almost pushing me to the forest floor. Just as I am about to fall, I feel myself pulled back violently. Once I've regained my balance, I spin around to see Chloe grinning at me. "Get it, boo-yah. Like I'm a scary punk ghost."

She must have been hiding behind the tree nearest me, waiting to jump out. I push her shoulder with mock anger. "More like a scary punk asshole."

Her grin widens as she steadies herself, "You were taking too long and I…"

She looks down at her feet momentarily then back up at me, her eyes full of vulnerability. I haven't seen her look like this in a long time. The last time was when she came running over to my house covered in cuts and bruises. She had got into a fight with some older kids. Just like her. Always biting off more than she could chew. She told me that I was her best friend and that she didn't know what she would do without me. _I guess now we know…_

"…didn't want to lose you." She breathes, finally finishing her sentence. _I don't want to lose you either, Chloe._

She laughs nervously, "I mean, I can't leave my first mate behind. How else shall I traverse the seven seas?" Without further discussion, she grabs my hand and tugs me along. "I'll help you get there. Come on."

As she pulls me along impatiently, I glance down at out interlocked hands. Her hand is so much bigger than mine, the blue nail polish on her fingers chipped. I begin to notice how warm her hand feels against mine. Chloe always used to drag me along like this when we were kids, but somehow this feels… different. _Were her hands always this warm?_

Before I can ponder this too much, we stop in a small clearing, both of us breathless and panting from the excursion. Chloe stands up straight and sweeps her arm in front of her. "Welcome to my domain."

In front of me is a sight I haven't seen in a long time. A large oak tree sits in the middle of the clearing, slanted planks of wood nailed onto the trunk to serve as a ladder. At the top is the entrance to a weathered tree house, one I recognize from my childhood misadventures. It's been years since I've been here. I'm mildly surprised and impressed that our old treehouse is still standing. Sure, maybe it looks a bit worn down and disheveled, but considering how long it has been here, through every possible weather condition, it looks great. _I guess it's a bit like mine and Chloe's relationship. It's been through a lot but still remains strong._

A small smile pulls at the corners of my lips as I turn to Chloe. "This was a great idea."

She offers me a smug smirk, placing her hands behind her head. "Well, duh. When are my ideas ever not great?" _I'm running out of fingers to count Chloe's bad ideas, and that's just from the past few days. Let's not even get started on our childhood adventures._

Her smile fades, replaced with a melancholic expression as she shoves her hands in her pockets and stares at her feet, kicking a loose stone along the ground, "I looked after it while you were… away." She sighs, then looks back up at me. "I repainted it and replaced some of the planks but apart from that, it's still the same old tree fort. I even got some speakers so you can blast your hipster vibes." _Chloe is such a nerd, but she's my nerd._ "Come on, Caulfield," she nudges my shoulder and raises an eyebrow suggestively. "We have some unfinished business to discuss." She begins to make her way over to the ladder and I follow close behind her.

"So, what is this unfinished business?" I question as we climb the makeshift ladder.

When we reach the top, she gives me an impish look, "I guess you'll have to find out." She motions me to relinquish my beloved I-pod, which I do. Without hesitation, she plugs it in and lets me pick a playlist. The gentle strumming of a guitar and a haunting voice slowly begins to exit the speaker, playing in the background. _**Goodbye to my Santa Monica Dreams…**_ She shakes her head and gives me a knowing smirk. "You truly are a hipster Max. There is no denying it."

I return her smile. "Of course I am, and you truly are a punk."

Chloe grabs two pillows from the corner and tosses one my way, which hits me square in the face. "Hey!"

She holds up her hands in defeat, laughing manically. "Sorry, it was an accident."

I narrow my eyes at her suspiciously. "Like hell it was."

She winks and settles down on the floor, hugging her pillow while grinning gleefully. "So anyway, to the serious stuff… which is more badass, pirates or aliens?"

 _Not this again._ I shift so my back is pressed against the wall of the tree house, placing the pillow behind me. "Oh god, not this again, Chloe. You ended up not speaking to me for three days until I yielded."

Chloe laughs, the most genuine I have heard from her in a long time, "I remember, and the answer is clearly pirates." I roll my eyes so Chloe can see and feigns a hurt expression. "You wound me, my dear lady."

"I'm about to." I threaten playfully.

"Oh no. However shall I survive the Caulfield wrath?" She teases lightly. _I'm glad to see some things don't change._ After a moment, sits up straight crossing her legs and tilting her head slightly, her face taking on a more serious expression. "No, but seriously, there is something I want to talk about."

"What and the badassery of pirates isn't a serious discussion topic?" I scoff.

Chloe playfully punches my arm, "I know, me and serious don't usually partner up, but let's say this is a one-off alliance, and for your information, it is a _**very**_ serious topic." She closes her eyes as if she is deep in thought.

It seems she just can't help herself. I really am intrigued to see what words of wisdom will come from her mouth. To her merit, she has managed to put a serious expression on her face. I wonder how long that will last before she burst into a fit of giggles. _She's probably going to break character any minute now… okay now…_ When she doesn't, I know she really does mean it.

* * *

 **What is this serious discussion? Find out next time.**


	4. Testing The Waters

**So guys, here is the next chapter. Enjoy**

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Testing The Waters**

 **Chloe's POV – Tree House**

I fidget under Max's intense gaze as I gather my thoughts. My throat becomes dry from the sudden nerves. This is harder anticipated. It's like when I saw Max again, I had everything planned out, but when it came to it I couldn't get the words out. Max plays with the hem of her shirt, something she always seems to do when she's nervous. I need to reassure her. I know Max gets anxious easily, so I need to tell her what this is about.

I bite my lip and quickly interject. "It's nothing bad, Max… well, at least I don't think it is." _Damn it, Chloe. Real smooth. You've probably made it worse._

Despite my vagueness, Max does seem to relax a bit, but her body is still tense. It's always been the same with her, the unknown making her extremely anxious. I take a deep breath to ready myself for this conversation, "I need to ask you a question about… about the things you said back there." I mutter quietly, hugging the pillow tighter. Max tilts her head curiously at me, her eyes seeming to pierce my very soul as she tries to gauge what I'm thinking.

 _I feel as if she can read my mind. I wonder if she has rewound and already knows what I'm going to say. Shit_. I glance down at the floor, closing my eyes and hoping that what I am going to say next won't mess up everything, "Max… don't rewind this please, whatever happens."

I hear shuffling and feel something warm on my cheek, gently rubbing. When I open my eyes again, I see Max's blue ones staring back at me earnestly, "Chloe, I promised you that I wouldn't." She teases my hands from the pillow and holds onto them, squeezing them reassuringly. "Besides even if I had, which I haven't, the fact that I'm still here must be a good thing, right?" _I guess she has a point. At least I would know that I hadn't totally fucked everything up. I do trust Max._

Max sits there patiently, waiting for me to continue. For her curious expression, I assume she has no idea of what I'm going to say. I don't know if that made me feel relaxed or stressed.I squeeze her hands back and offer her a small smile. "Right, yeah. I… I do trust you though Max."

She returns my smile, its presence calming my nerves considerably. "I trust you too." _Damn it. Why does she have to make everything so much harder? What I'm about to do could potentially ruin everything. After all, we have been through I couldn't live with that. I need Max, but I have to say this before it eats away at me._

To ease my suddenly dry throat and stall for time, I swallow hard, "Well, the thing is…" My voice gets caught in my throat, refusing to let the words leave my head. I nervously bite my bottom lip as I gather the courage I need to continue. To Max's credit, she sits there patiently waiting. She understands what it's like to have words fail you. A sad yet comforting thought. I inhale deeply, my resolve strengthened knowing that Max is here for me. "About what you said when you talked about the dare and… and the other time... did you mean it?"

 _Wow, Chloe. Why aren't you a world class poet with sentences like that coming out of you on a daily basis?_ I mentally kick myself for being unable to express myself properly. _I think Max gets what I'm trying to say. At least I hope so because I think that is as coherent as I am going to get._ After a few seconds of silence, I regain my composure and press on. "I just… I need to know."

* * *

 **Max's POV**

Chloe looks so vulnerable right now, more than I have ever seen her. She's laying all her cards on the table for me to see. I'm not sure how to react to this sudden display of defencelessness, something I am really not used to from her. Even as a kid, she refused to show any sign of weakness. _What should I say? I guess the truth is all I can really say. I don't want to lie to Chloe. I can't. Not after everything that's happened to us._ I rub my neck nervously, gathering my thoughts. _Here goes everything._

"Well… yeah, of course I meant it," I stutter weakly. Chloe's face remains stoic and unreadable, her eyes betraying nothing. _I just have to bite the bullet here. What's the worst that could happen?_ I clear my throat and continue with more conviction. "I… I wanted to kiss you. I'm just too much of a coward to initiate anything…" I pause, a thought flickering across my mind. _Wait… of course. Chloe knew that._ I meet Chloe's blue eyes, which now show a slight flicker of something I can't quite put my finger one. "Is that why you dared me?"

She stroking her chin in contemplation, then she nods, a very slight smile forming on her lips, "Yeah. Don't you think I've seen those forlorn lustful looks of yours, Caulfield?"

"What? No… no way. I haven't… when?" I stammer, my cheeks flushing at my lack of subtlety.

Chloe smirks smugly and raises an eyebrow skeptically at my weak defense, "Like, all the time. You can try to deny it if you want, but you're lying to yourself."

I open my mouth to protest, but no words come out. _Have I? I didn't even realize. Way to go, Max._

Her eyes focus on the floor again as she mumbles. "Anyway, now you have your rewind powers, I… I figured you would at least do it once, to see what it was like, even if I didn't remember it happening. It made me feel… wanted, even if it was selfish."

I gently squeeze Chloe's hands again, causing her to look up at me. My face softens at her expression of uncertainty and her hesitant tone. "Chloe, I keep telling you, if I didn't want to do it, I wouldn't have. You're not selfish."

She offers me a small smile, her eyes gentle and her voice hushed looking so lost and alone. "Yeah."

 _Oh, Chloe. I don't want to see you like this, ever. How can I make her smile again? I guess I could tell her about that time. How do I even say this? Dog, this is so embarrassing. It's worth it, Max. I'm sure she will find it hilarious. Anything to see her smile one more time._ I exhale deeply, preparing myself for the inevitable embarrassment of my next confession. "Maybe… maybe I did rewind a… a few times. B-before I mean, w-when you dared me."

Chloe's eyes widen in shock and her eyebrows shoot upwards. She seems to be having trouble comprehending this admission. Her eyebrows knit together in confusion, a small crease forming between them as she thinks over everything. When she finally manages to speak, her voice comes out choked, "Wait. You rewound to keep on kissing me?"

"I s-said _**maybe**_ I did," I mumble, my cheeks heating up.

A lop-sided smug grin forms on her face, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement, "How many times did you 'maybe' do this?" I lick my lips, my mind racing with the memory… _The stuttered dare causing my mind to short circuit, both of us seemingly as surprised by her words as each other. The more confident affirmation from her posed almost as a challenge. The impulsive movement as I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers. The sudden loss of contact as she stepped back, her face the very embodiment of shock. The quick recovery, stumbling over words and teasing. Confusion over what this meant for us. Maybe if I rewound again, really paid attention to every small movement and word then I could find out…_

"I… I m-maybe kind of lost count," I admit, thinking how many time I used that excuse to justify myself… just satisfying my curiosity. In truth, I… wanted to do it. I wanted to find a way to stop her from moving away, from passing it off as just a joke. I wanted her to tell me straight what this was to her. Was it just an impulsive dare or… was it something else? I had to know, but for all my rewinding I never found out.

Chloe roars with laughter and wipes the tears from her eyes. "Oh man, Max. You're so hardcore."

"Yeah, laugh it up." I pout, crossing my arms over my chest and looking away from her to hide my obvious embarrassment. _I'm not really sure where this is going, but I want it to continue._

She smirks at me, her tone teasing. "Admit it, Caulfield, you liked it. It's ok. I won't judge. In fact, I am flattered."

I put a defiant expression on my face and push Chloe gently. "Knock it off, Chloe."

She holds up her hands in defeat and chuckles, "Alright, no need to pout." She looks thoughtful for a moment. When she finally speaks again, her voice wavers with uncertainty, "You… you did like it, right?"

 _What kind of question is that?_ "Well… yeah, I… I did," the blush on my cheeks intensifies at her question. "Did you really have to ask that question?"

Chloe sighs in relief then grins, looking very proud of herself, "I just wanted to see my cute hipster blush. It seems I was successful." I gently hit her over the head, "Ouch."

I roll my eyes playfully at her. "Oh come on, Chloe. That did not hurt."

She rubs the spot on her head where I hit her. "I'm not sure, Max. I think I'm getting a concussion."

"I'll give you a concussion in a minute." I threaten.

She reaches over to me and ruffles my hair with her hand much to my protests, "I'd like to see you try."

I shake my head. "I'm not going to fall into that trap. You fight dirty."

Chloe mocks a hurt expression, "Me? Fight dirty? How could you suggest such a thing? Besides, that's not the dirtiest thing about me," she winks.

 _I can't keep up with her sometimes._ "You are out of control."

"Yep, I'm fucking insane in the brain." She chortles gleefully.

I bite my lip nervously, wanting to return her question. "Did… did you?"

Chloe raises an eyebrow in confusion. "Did I what?" _I wonder how Chloe actually manages to make it in life sometimes. She'd forget her head if it wasn't screwed on._

"Enjoy the… the kiss?" I prompt nervously, uncertain where this question will take us.

Her eyes widen in realization, "Oh." She rubs the back of her neck and clears her throat, "Sorry, we kind of went on a tangent, huh?" I swear I can see a faint blush on her cheeks as she goes uncharacteristically quiet, finally muttering. "I… yeah, I did… a lot."

 _If that's the case, then why? Why did she pull back?_ I am unable to hold this question in anymore, desperate to know the answer. I stare deeply into her familiar blue eyes, searching for the answer I want to see. "Then… then why did you move away?"

* * *

 **Chloe's POV**

As Max's eyes meet mine, I can see the hurt and confusion she is feeling over this. _Way to go, Chloe._ I take my beanie off, exposing my faded blue locks and the strawberry blonde roots poking through. I shove the beanie in my pocket and run my fingers through my messy strand. I have asked myself this question so many times, and come up with a few possibilities. The most prominent being… Rachel. I don't know where we stand. We didn't exactly part on good terms and I still don't know how she felt. She claimed that she 'cared' about me, but then why would she betray me so badly and with Frank of all people. _Who knows what else she has done?_

I close my eyes momentarily, trying to think of how to put this so Max can get my reasons… I want her to understand. "I'm going to be honest with you, Max. I… I just had no idea how to feel. I was really happy. I didn't think you would do it. I wasn't sure why you did it. Was it because I dared you or… some other reason?" I pause, trying to figure out what she is thinking. She doesn't move, her face hard to read. I sigh and continue, "I guess I was just caught off guard, but that's not all. I… need some closure with Rachel." _It might hurt Max to hear this, but it's the truth._

She sits there in silence, thinking everything over. Eventually, she lifts her head, "So, did you and Rachel ever…?" her sentence trails off and gets swallowed up by the silence, her brow furrowing a bit.

 _I'm not sure how to say this._ I draw my knees close to my body and rest my head on them, "It was… really complicated, at least according to her. She never let me know her true feelings. It was pretty obvious that I really liked her a lot, painfully so, but she just sort of ignored it. I mean we did kiss and… uh… other stuff, but I really don't know what I was to her." I hug my knees tightly. "I asked her if she loved me, but she never answered me properly. She was really cryptic and just told me to enjoy what we had, to not label it. Even now, I have no idea what she was thinking. Was I just something to pass the time? A distraction?" The words taste bitter as they leave my mouth. _What if that is all I was to Rachel? Did I really mean so little to her?_ This is the first time I have admitted my thoughts out loud. Before I would just brush them off, telling myself I was crazy to think that way, but I feel comfortable with Max. I know she wants to help me and that she cares.

Max offers me a reassuring smile, one that inspires the determination to continue, "She was the world to me, Max… but it's all changed now. After what we have found out, I can't let her back into my life like that again, no matter what. Regardless of what has happened, she was with Frank and it's pretty obvious in what way. She seemed so committed to him. Why couldn't she have been that way with me?" The anger slowly begins to return as my jaw clenches. _Why couldn't she? I don't understand._

* * *

" _ **I can't." Rachel mutters, her hazel eyes refusing to meet mine.**_

 _ **Her refusal hits me like a punch to the gut, winding me. My brow furrows in anger, my voice rising in volume as the implications of her words sink in, "What the fuck do you mean you can't?"**_

 _ **Rachel rests her chin on her hand and stares out of the window, "It's… complicated," she mumbles into her hand.**_

 _ **I roll my eyes and scoff, "Everything is fucking complicated, especially with you."**_

 _ **She sighs resignedly, absentmindedly twirling a strand of her long blonde hair around her finger, "You can think whatever you want, Chloe. My answer won't change."**_

* * *

I exhale deeply at the memory, now realizing the reason for her reluctance to answer me. It hurts to think that all this time she was messing around with Frank. Maybe I should have seen it before now considering how resistant she was to discuss our relationship.

"There is no use now I guess. Things are how they are, I just have to move on," as I utter these words, I know it's going to be much harder than that to move on. There is no way I can just forget it all without working through it, along with all the other shit I've been hiding from. I glance over to Max, who is sat there listening patiently. _What is she thinking? Sometimes she's an open book, but at times like this it is almost impossible to tell._

I stretch my legs out in front of me, picking at a loose thread on my patched up gray pants, "What I'm trying to say is that I… was uncertain of a lot of things and I wanted to test the waters. I needed to know how you felt… and how I felt, but I left feeling more confused than before. When you kissed me back there... I didn't dare you. You did it of your own free will and didn't rewind, even after the shit I gave you for it." A warm sensation spreads through my body at Max's persistence. Despite her dislike of confrontation, she hadn't given up on me even though she so easily could have. "So know I have made up my mind. I… I want to feel loved and wanted and… I just can't with Rachel. I still need to find her and I need to make her answer some questions but other than that I'm done. I can't have a relationship like that anymore." I rub my neck nervously, hoping that I won't mess it all up. "Do you… do you get what I'm trying to say?"

Max's eyes flicker with uncertainty. "I… I think so."

I begin to twirl the ring on my left index finger… the one that belonged to my dad. After he passed away, mom gave it to me. I was surprised, assuming that she'd want to keep it hidden away somewhere safe, but when I told her this she shook her head and told me that dad wouldn't have wanted to be stuffed in some keep safe box hidden under a bed forever. He'd want to be by my side through thick and thin to guide me and give me strength when I needed it most. That was the only time we ever really talked about his death. I close my eyes, imagining what he would say in this situation. He'd probably make up some bad pun and tease me for a while, but then… then he'd tell me to go for it, to hold onto Max as tightly as I could… to find happiness wherever possible.

The sting of unshed tears pokes at my eyes and a lump begins to form in my throat from thinking about dad's warm smile and encouraging words, "Max… I… ever since we've got back together, a lot of old feelings have been resurfacing. They've been all over the place and I've been trying to sort them all out. Before, I didn't get it. I was too young and… our time got cut short. Now I'm older I… I understand them a bit better." Max stays silent, letting me say everything I need to without interruption. "I… I tried so hard to suppress everything. You're my best friend and I don't want to make things weird."

She places a hand on my arm, her expression earnest and voice gentle. "You're not, Chloe."

I exhale, any last hints of doubt fading away, "Good. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that I need time, but when I'm ready I…" _Come one, Chloe. You are so close. Say it. Say how you feel._ "…I really want to be with you, Max. More than anything. Is that… is that something you want too?"

* * *

 **Max's POV**

Chloe's words have left me speechless. _Wowser. I… I didn't expect this at all._

I snap myself out of my trance like state and move to sit in front of her, taking her by the shoulders and staring straight into her eyes. "Chloe, being together again is the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. I… I know I fucked up, but there is nothing more that I want right now than to be by your side if you'll have me of course."

Chloe's face relaxes, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Thank you, Max. That… that means a lot to me. Are you ok… waiting I mean?"

I smile at her and nod. "Absolutely. Somethings are worth waiting for."

"That was so bad, Max." She groans at the cheesy line.

After nudging her shoulder, I grin coaxingly at her. "You love it really, Chloe."

She lays back down on the creaking wooden floor of the treehouse, her hand behind her head as she stares up at the ceiling. "Maybe I do."

I shuffle over to her, laying down beside her and snuggle up close, resting my head on her chest with my ear close to her heart as it beats steadily. _How can one sound make me feel so happy?_ I close my eyes, listening intently at the thumping reminding me that she is still here with me. "You know, it's relaxing to listen to your heartbeat." I mutter, sleep beginning to take me.

"Yeah?"

 _It is Chloe. It tells me that even though I had to watch you almost… leave this world, you're here beside me._ I shift closer to her, "It just proves that you're still here. With me."

She holds me tight, tangling our legs together and place a brief kiss on the top of my head, "I'm not going anywhere, Max." She whispers as I enter the world of dreams.

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed that. Stay safe out there and I'll see you in the next chapter.**


	5. What Awaits Us

**Hey guys, I hope you're all doing well today. Here is the next chapter. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter Five: What Awaits Us**

 **Max's POV – Tree House**

The cheerful chirping of birds fills my ears as a blinding light passes over my face causing my face to scrunch up. I groan, turning over and shield my eyes in a desperate attempt to fend off the invading light to no avail. I lay there, knowing full well that my struggle against waking is very one-sided.

 _Jeebus, I am so fricking tired. Max, you seriously need to rethink your sleep schedule. Have I even got a decent sleep this week?_ I reach up to my bleary eyes and rub the sleep from them. I slowly open my eyes, blinking a few times to get accustomed to the brightness of the light. _Now is no time to be melodramatic. What time is it anyway?_

My vision starts to come into focus, Chloe's face visible beside me. When she notices I'm awake, she smiles sleepily at me. "Hey."

I yawn and stretch out then return her smile. "Hi."

 _This would make such a nice picture with the way the light is framed behind her, the trees casting long shadows…_ I lean over and grab my bag, drawing it closer to me as I rummage around for my camera. Chloe chuckles lightly as I find it and lays there patiently, looking at me with mild amusement. _I guess she knows what I'm going to do, either that or she's too sleepy to protest. It's a win/win situation either way._

I line up my shot, waiting for the perfect moment to capture her, my finger hovering over the button. The sun moves a fraction, the light seeping through the glassless window of the tree house and falling on Chloe's face, causing her faded blue hair to shimmer. Before this moment has the chance to pass me by, I take the shot. As the picture comes out of the bottom, Chloe swipes it and regards it with curiosity. After a few seconds, she smiles and lazily hands it back to me, "That's a keeper."

It's been a kind of been a tradition for Chloe to check all my photos. As kids, she always insisted on doing it, often forcefully snatching the photo from my hand. She never said anything bad about my photos though, even my earlier attempts. _I'm glad to see some things haven't change._ I stash the photo in my bag and lay back down beside her, glancing over. I wonder how long she has been awake for. When we had sleepovers as kids, I always used to find Chloe staring at me when I woke up. She always used to deny it and got really defensive _._ It was so funny. _It's… nice to see that she isn't now. Well, so far…_ I rub at my eyes again and shake the last remnants of sleep from my mind before turning over to face Chloe. "Have you been watching me sleep?"

Chloe suddenly seems intrigued by her nails, her face strained with trying not to smile. "Maaaaaybe."

 _So that's a yes then. Chloe, you dork._ "You so were," I tease, hoping to get the advantage for once. Chloe stretches, ignoring the accusation. I push her shoulder to get her attention, "Hey, don't think you can just ignore me, Price."

She turns to me, snuggling up closer and resting her forehead against mine. While Chloe has always been eager to intrude my personal space, this time is different. Before, it always seemed like a forceful invasion, now… now seems gentler, like she's asking instead of demanding. She tentatively reaches out for my hand, intertwining our fingers, "I'm not ignoring you, Max. I never could." _Her face is so close to mine. I want to wake up every morning to this sight._

We lay there silently, just letting the world pass us by. There is no need for words, not anymore. We've said all the things we should have up until this point, anything else could spoil this new found state of peace. _I wish I could just stay in this moment. I guess I technically can, but then it wouldn't be a moment anymore._

A stray strand of flyaway hair falls on Chloe's face, the rest a tangled mess from sleep. I reach out and gently ruffle her hair, "Bedhead alert."

She scoffs, "Like you can talk, Caulfield." To demonstrate her point, she reaches out and takes a strand of my hair, gently twisting it around her finger. Her expression is so gentle right now, her eyes exposing everything to me. _It's kind of weird not to see her with a pissed off expression, not that I'm complaining. I want her to feel comfortable and happy around me. I want her to be able to tell me how she feels, to trust me._ She catches me staring at her and smirks. "Now who's staring?"

I blush at being caught, really wishing that I could perfect the art of subtlety… or at least have some grasp of it. When I glance back up at Chloe, I swear her cheeks are pink too. _Maybe it was my imagination or wishful thinking._

Chloe untangles herself from me and sits up, stretching and yawning. She looks down at me excitedly. "Hey, I have an idea, why don't we grab some food from the Two Whales to go and bring it back here?"

 _Ok, that's a bit strange. Why would we bring it back here? We usually eat at the diner when we go._ I sit up too, leaning against the wall of the tree house, "You don't want to eat at the diner?"

She looks me dead in the eyes, her expression serious, "I don't want people staring at my cute hipster's ass the entire time we are having our breakfast," she breaks out into a toothy grin.

 _Wowser, Chloe._ I roll my eyes at her, "Won't I technically be sitting on said ass for the entirety of our meal?"

She stroking her chin deep in thought, "Well, they will be thinking about it. I know I will be," she winks at me as I shake my head and smile. _Chloe is such a nerd. I guess that's why I love her._ Her cheeky smile fades, replaced with an expression of vulnerability, "Besides, I… I don't want to have to deal with the shitty people there at the minute. I just… want to spend some time alone… with you." _She can be so sweet when she isn't trying to act so punk._

I hold my hands up defeat. "Okay, okay, you know I can't resist the Price eyes. No need to make me feel guilty."

She grins at my submission, "Cool, then it's settled." As if on cue, my stomach growls loudly, making Chloe laugh. "Sounds like someone is hungry like the wolf." Chloe stands up and motions towards the entrance with her thumb. "Let's go."

* * *

 **Two Whales Diner**

As we enter the diner, I am hit with the heavenly smell of coffee and Joyce's famous Belgian waffles. My stomach grumbles louder as we make our way over to the counter where Joyce is busily working. When she sees us, she smiles. "Hey girls."

"Hi, Joyce." I greet her.

She turns to Chloe with a knowing smile and places a hand on her hip, "Let me guess, you've come here in search of free food."

Chloe grins innocently, "Maybe."

"Well, you might just be in luck," Joyce laughs as she turns back into the kitchen and comes back out after a few minutes with a box. She places it on the counter in front of her daughter. "Here."

"Thanks." Chloe mentions as she grabs the box from the counter.

Joyce crosses her arms and gives her an amused look, "Now, you girls behave yourselves."

Chloe waves away her mother's worries as she makes her way over to the door, "We will. Quit worrying, mom."

Joyce shakes her head and begins scrubbing down the counter, "I'm sure I've heard that one before."

I smile at Joyce, "I know you have."

"At least Chloe's got you looking after her." She sighs, shaking her head.

Before I have the chance to reply, Chloe glances back over her shoulder. "Yo, Max. Are we going or what?"

* * *

 **Tree House**

I lay on my back, my hands resting on my stomach. _I am so full now. Joyce really did treat us today. I don't think I can move, not that I really want to. Unfortunately, duty calls._ With that thought, I slowly sit up again and glance over at Chloe as I sling my bag over my shoulder. "I should probably get going back to Blackwell, as much as I don't want to."

As I make my way over to the exit, Chloe suddenly grabs me and starts tickling me. "Oh no you don't hipster, you can't escape my clutches that easily."

"C-Chloe… s-stop." I stutter, trying to wriggle away from her clutches. She knows my weaknesses and has no qualms about exploiting them.

"Ah, ah, no you don't," she grins mischievously as I struggle against her. She straddles me and pins my arms to my side. "Ha, no escape now. I win." She leans in closer and whispers. "Do you surrender?"

My heart beats erratically as a warmth creeps onto my cheeks. _I know she is probably just playing around but… hearing her speak this way does things to me. Makes me feel… strange. I can't describe it._

She moves slowly away from my ear, a smug smirk plastered to her face, "Well… I'm wai-" she stops a few inches from my face, her smile fading slightly when she realizes how close we are. Her expression is one I am not familiar with at all as she gazes into my eyes. She swallows hard as her eyes roam over my face. The intensity of her stare sends a shiver down my spine. Her breathing is shaky and uneven as her eyes wander down to my lips. "Max…"

* * *

 **Chloe's POV**

I stare down at Max, every fiber in my body wanting to lean down and kiss her right now… but I feel guilty for having this thought. _Why should I? Rachel was the one who cheated on me. I can't let her dictate what I can and can't do. Sure, I still want answers from her, but why should I deny myself of what I really want because of it? I may never find her. She's probably partying in LA right now, having the time of her life, not giving a shit about me. Why should I care about her? I could spend forever moping about how unfair it is, it's not going to change anything. Rachel is still gone. She still did what she did with Frank. She still probably won't tell me how she feels. I've wasted six months of my life because of her. I don't intend to waste anymore._

Max bites her lip, her cheeks flushed as she breathes. "Yeah?"

"Is it ok if I…?" My unfinished sentence hangs in the air as I lean in closer to her. Max closes her eyes and meets my lips. I can feel heat creep onto my cheeks as she moves her lips against mine and pulls me closer, bridging any minute gap that had once existed between us before. This is what I need. The feeling of being wanted and loved, not just lusted after. When I kissed Rachel, it felt empty in a way, not like now.

It starts out clumsily at first, both of us wanting to feel each other, confirm that we are both here and that this is really happening. Once this initial doubt passed, things calm down and we take our time exploring. This is so surreal. I never really understood how I felt when Max left. I was young and pissed off. We didn't have the chance to slowly explore. We were denied this by fate.

Max tangles her fingers in my hair and gently pulls, sighing into my mouth as my hands wander along her back. As soon as Rachel turned up and I started to get close to her, I started to wonder about a lot of things. She made me question who I was and what I wanted. Eventually, I realized something. I… I loved Max. I always had. I tried to deny it for so long, but seeing her again brought back all those old feelings. She is the only one who has made me feel this way a few moments, I slowly pull away feeling light-headed and giddy. Max's cheeks are flushed, her lips parted slightly more than usual as she opens her eyes.

* * *

 **Max's POV**

"Wowser." I breathe, unsure of what just happened then. _It all went so quickly. What do I do now? I'm kind of nervous._

My nerves must have been obvious as Chloe smiles reassuringly and places a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Don't look so worried, Max. We'll take things slow from now on. Like I said before I still need closure, but I don't want to deny myself things I want to do. I've done it for too long already. So, I'm not gonna jump you or anything."

I sigh in relief at Chloe's reassurances, my body relaxing as she gently brushes my cheek with her fingers. _As much as I really want to be with Chloe, I don't want to rush things. I don't think I'd be ready for more… full on stuff anyway. It's embarrassing to even think about. I'm kind of glad Chloe needs some time. Everything was so sudden. I need to get a few things sorted out in my head._

Chloe's eyes flicker with amusement. "Unless that's not what you want. Seriously Caulfield, are you just after my body?"

"Damn, my secret has been discovered." I joke.

She grins impishly at me. "I mean, I get why," she winks as she gets off of me to let me up.

I push her gently as I sit up. "Dog, you have no shame."

She reaches her arms out to me. "Can I have a hipster hug?"

"Get your ass over here." I sigh as I roll my eyes and motion for her to come closer. Her face lights up as I put my arms around her. The faint lingering scent of cigarettes clings to her clothing, not that I mind. There is something comforting about it that puts my mind at ease. I nuzzle into her neck. _It's so nice just to be able to be here with Chloe. We've been through a lot recently. We need to treasure these moments of respite. God knows what awaits us._

* * *

 **Ah, that was nice to write. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and see you next time.**


	6. Exhume Me

**Hey guys, I hope you're all having a super day today. We have jumped a bit, now joining Max and Chloe is after they have gathered all the evidence (from David, Frank and Nathan) and are trying to piece it all together in Chloe's room. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter Six: Exhume**

 **Max's POV - Chloe's Room**

I stare at the board with all the pictures, documents and pieces of paper pinned to it that Chloe and I have collected in our investigations about Rachel, my head pounding from concentrating for so long. _Ok, so we've got all the clues, we just need to put them all together. It's making my head hurt just thinking about it. Come on, Max. You've come this far._

My eyes wander over the rest of Chloe's room. Used plates and cups are dotted around on the floor with crumpled sheets of paper scattered on her bed. Her desk is covered with post-it notes and other various discarded clues that led to dead ends. _It's a mess, to say the least, but when isn't it?_

We've been up all night trying to put all the pieces of the puzzle together. I managed to swipe David's file from the garage, giving us some coordinates and photos. Then we broke into Nathan's room and found a phone stuck to the back of the couch, not suspicious at all, and finally Frank's client list. I stare intently at the pieces of the puzzle, biting my lip as I try to figure it all out. _Now, how does everything fit together?_

I take a step back from the board and sigh deeply, scratching my head at the puzzling information. Chloe leans back in her chair, glancing back over her shoulder from her investigations. "How's it going over there, time tripper?"

I rub my temples, trying to stop the throbbing. "My head hurts."

Chloe's face softens as she stands up from her chair and shuffles back onto the bed. She pats the space between her legs. "Come here."

I tilt my head curiously at her. "But won't it be uncomfortable?"

She shakes her head firmly. "Nope."

Curiosity gets the better of me as I shrug and sit where she instructed. "Chloe, what are you…?"

Before I have the chance to continue my question, I feel her hands at my temples, her fingers massaging gently. I can feel some of the built up stress wash away almost immediately as her dextrous fingers move down my neck and to my shoulders, working out the knots. I sigh contently, closing my eyes as my body relaxes at her touch.

"I can't have my hipster nerd getting too stressed now, can I?" she whispers as she wraps her legs and arms around me and hugs me. She gently presses her lips on the nape of my neck, then rests her chin on my shoulder, her breath warm on my skin. "I know it's been a cray week, but I'm glad you're here with me. It makes everything a bit less scary."

I grab onto Chloe's arm reassuringly. "Yeah. You make me feel like I know what I'm doing."

"And you make me feel like a still have a reason to be in Arcadia." Her whisper tickles my ear. We sit there for a few moments just letting the world pass us by. The rays of light seep through the window, illuminating the room and leaving a golden shimmer. I can feel Chloe's heart beating faintly as she rests against my back. I close my eyes and listen to the gentle strumming coming from the stereo. _**We played hide and seek in waterfalls, we were younger…**_ She sighs, untangling herself and kissing my cheek. "Let's get back to it. The sooner we figure all this out the sooner we can blow this shit pit." She comments as she sits back down at her desk and continues searching on her laptop. I get up and walk back over to the board.

 _We need to find Rachel, for Chloe's sake. She deserves some answers and so does Kate. I can't shake the feeling that they are connected somehow._ I stroke my chin, once again running things over in my head. _First, let's start off with Frank's stuff._

* * *

 **Fifteen minutes later**

I hold the picture of the barn Chloe printed off from the co-ordinates earlier. It all points to here, the times match up on the deals and the texts on Nathan's phone. _It looks so creepy, like something out of a horror movie._ I shudder involuntarily as I turn and walk over to her and place the picture on her desk. "Chloe, this is definitely the place."

She begins to type away at her computer, "Let me dig up some more clues here." After a few moments, she leans forward and scrutinizes the page. She leans back in her chair and lets out an exasperated sigh. "Nope… nothing, Max. There's nothing here. Just some shitty old barn…" She sighs, rubbing her eyes and propping her head on her hand looking exhausted. I know that she won't give up until she's found Rachel, but I'm worried. I don't think she's slept well in a long time. We just need to go into hibernation or something, lounge around in bed all day eating junk food, watching films, playing games and talking 'til 3 am… just like when we were kids.

"Let's keep searching and find out who owns this haunted barn." I suggest, certain that this is the place.

Chloe nods, determination filling her eyes, "I am on this, hold on." she types away and clicks on a few of the results, staring with bated breath at the screen. "Aha, here we go. Somebody named – 'Harry Aaron Prescott'."

 _Figures._ "I'm shocked," I sigh as I run my fingers through my hair. "Should we call the police?"

This suggestion earns me a frown. "Fuck that. You know the police here are like Nathan's private security, right? Besides…" She grins broadly. "…all I need is my Super Max." I roll my eyes at her as she gets up and wraps her arms around me. "We're so close, Max. I can feel it." _I just hope I can protect her this time. I don't want to have to watch her suffer again._

I return her hug, a mounting sense of worry forming in the pit of my stomach. "We just need to be careful. I don't want to lose you again."

She squeezes me reassuringly. "You won't, not this time. Hey, maybe I'll even save you."

"It's about time." I tease her.

"Oh, now you've asked for it, Caulfield." She kisses my forehead, then my nose and finally my lips. I lean into her as she moves her lips tenderly against mine. _It's strange to think we ended up here. I can't let anything bad happen to her… I won't…_ Chloe pulls away and places her forehead against mine, slowly opening her eyes and whispers. "Max, I just want you to know that… I love you. I can never say it enough. No matter what happens, remember that."

I grab Chloe's beanie and pull it over her eyes, "You're such a downer. That's my job, remember?" Before she has a chance to pull her beanie back up, I quickly peck her on the lips.

She pulls her beanie up and pouts, "Hey, no fair, Max." Without any warning, she grabs hold of me and lifts me into the air.

"Chloe!" I squeal as spins me around, stating to feel dizzy.

My mild protest only makes her grin maniacally, "You were the one telling me to lighten up a minute ago." After nearly falling over twice, she gently places me back down on the floor.

I stumble around, clutching at my head. "Oh god, I think I'm going to be sick. I am so dizzy,"

Just as I'm about to fall over, Chloe grabs hold of my waist. "Whoa there, super Max."

Somehow, I manage to steady myself. "Chloe, you are so unpredictable, but that's part of the reason why I love you."

"Oh, getting all soppy on me, huh?" she grins as she grabs her truck keys and holds out her hand to me. "Ready?"

I place my hand in hers and squeeze. "Always."

* * *

 **Thirty minutes later – Outside the Barn**

Chloe parks her beat up truck in front of the imposing barn looming over us. I glance over at her, noticing that her face covered in worry as her hands shake slightly. _Under all that bravado, Chloe is terrified, probably more than anyone. It's her defense mechanism._ I reach out for her hand and grab it to try and ease her fears. She turns to me and smiles, squeezing my hand back. _I hope for her sake that we can find some good news. I don't even want to think about what would happen if…_ I swallow hard, pushing the morbid thoughts to the back of my mind.

We exchange determined glances then make our way out of the truck towards the barn. I swallow hard as we approach it. "Holy shit, this is scary."

Chloe sighs and looks at me apologetically. "I know. I'm sorry for dragging you into this, Max. Are you still ok to do this?"

 _I may be terrified right now, but I can't abandon Chloe, not again. Never, ever again._ "I wouldn't let you go alone, Chloe." I assert, not wanting to let her face something like this on her own.

She offers me an appreciative smile. "Let's go find the best way in."

Without delay, I begin to investigate the large double doors I assume to be the main entrance to the barn, noticing the tire tracks in the dirt. I lean down and inspect them closer, running my fingers along the grooves left. _These look fresh._ After checking out the weird markings, I glance up to see a heavy duty padlock on the door preventing us from entering in this way.

I hear shuffling as Chloe comes over beside me, "Dude, somebody was just here," she rattles on the lock, hitting the door when it doesn't budge. "Ouch." She cries out, cradling her hand.

I roll my eyes at her impatience and take her hand in mine, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her palm. "Better?"

She grins at me. "Much better."

I wander around to the side of the barn and see one of the panels is loose. Now we have a way in, I race round to the front, "Chloe, I think I've got it."

As she comes round to join me, I slide the panel out and, after checking the coast is clear, step inside. The creaky wooden floor is covered in straw and an abandoned tractor sits to our right. Light seeps through a broken window at the top of the barn, not doing much to illuminate up the otherwise dim area. _This place is so creepy._

Chloe walks over to a rusted chest sitting just to our left and begins rummaging through its contents, "Jackpot. Old shit." She mutters as I begin searching the rest of the barn. _I'm not even sure what we're looking for. Is there a secret lever or something? Max, you have been watching too much TV._

As I take a step forward, I hear the wooden floorboard underneath my foot creak. I stare at the spot curiously, moving the straw away with my converse. Something seems to be buried underneath. _What the…?_ Once the straw has been removed, a padlocked trapdoor comes into view. My blood runs cold at this strange discovery. _This does not look good, at all. We need to get this open. Now._ I look to my left to see a hook hanging on a piece of rope. My eyes follow the rope up to the rafters. _Bingo._

Taking the hook in my hand, I attach it to the padlock and make my way over to the wooden platform leading up to the rafters. "Chloe, can you give me a hand?"

She ambles over, stands beside me and makes a cradle with her hands, "Sidekick at your service!" With my foot firmly slotted into her hands, she boosts me up and I grab onto the platform, clambering up. "I must say," she shouts up at me, "I'm enjoying the view from down here."

I shake my head at her comment. "Don't make me come back down there and hit you."

Still smiling at her cheeky comment, I pull down an old motor and use it to get to the top, then use my rewind skills to get it back up. I attach the other end of the rope to the motor and walk over to the edge, waving at Chloe and sticking my tongue out at her with crossed eyes.

"Do not fall." She shouts up, her voice betraying a hint of concern.

I salute. "Yes ma'am."

"I'm being serious, Caulfield. I have no desire to be scraping you off the floor. I happen to like this shirt, and I don't want to get blood on it."

"Ha, funny."

"Just… be careful." Her face softens, making her looks so vulnerable right now, her eyes plead me to be careful.

"I will. Besides, you're the one always getting into trouble, not me."

Chloe makes an expression of mock hurt. "Ouch, low blow."

I shrug. "What can I say? The truth hurts sometimes."

She shakes her head and grins. "Remind me why I'm friends with you again?"

"Because you love me." I tease.

Before replying, she shrugs. "I can't argue with that. I have really bad taste, huh?"

"Hey!"

Chloe chuckles. "I'm joking."

I pout. "You had better be."

She struggles to catch her breath from laughing so much at my comical expression, wiping the tears from her eyes as I push the motor off of the edge. I hear a loud clang, the lock now suspended in the air. Satisfied, I make my way down to the first platform. Chloe stands at the bottom her arms spread out. "Max, jump."

"What?"

"I'll catch you. I promise."

 _This is probably going to end badly, but I trust Chloe._ I take a step back, steeling myself to plummet to the ground. "O-ok. Get ready."

She taps her foot impatiently on the ground. "Jeez, what are you wai-"

I launch myself at Chloe. She manages to catch me but falls back in the process falling on the hard wooden floor. I land on top of her and smirk. "Oh, you got me, huh?"

She grins, "Hey, I caught you, didn't I?" Her beanie has fallen off her head, her hair covered in bits of straw. I giggle at the bizarre sight.

"What?"

I reach out and take a piece of the straw from her hair. "Oh, nothing. Just appreciating the new hair style. _Very_ punk rock."

I show it to her and she rolls her eyes. "Ha, ha. Very funny."

Before she can react, I lean down and press my lips on hers to steal a quick kiss. When I pull back, there is a noticeable blush forming on her cheeks as she refuses to meet my eyes. _Score one for Max. You don't have anything smart to say now, huh?_

"Who gave you the right to be so goddamn cute, Caulfield?" She mumbles, almost sounding annoyed at not having the upper hand this time.

"God, or the gods. So bow." I smirk.

She sighs. "Well, that's a bit difficult to do when you're on the floor."

I get up and offer her my hand, which she takes and uses it to pull herself up. When she reaches her feet she bows, glancing up at me. "Is this sufficient, your Holiness?"

I grin cheekily. "Yep."

Chloe shakes her head, smiling. She stands up straight, brushes herself down and goes to grab her beanie which is laying on the floor. I make it there first, jamming it on my head and running away from her. "Can't catch me."

"Oh, no, Caulfield. You so don't stand a chance," she shouts as she pursues me. Needless to say, she catches me in a few seconds with ease, plucking the beanie from my head. "You have to do better than that."

"Don't tempt me." I chuckle as I walk over to the now unlocked hatch. The quick moment of respite soon gives way to anxiety as I kneel down and try to pull up on it, failing miserably. It's way too heavy for me to lift on my own. "Little help, Chloe."

She comes over to join me and together we lift the hatch up to reveal stairs leading down underneath the floorboards to a huge vault-like door. "Do I even need to say how weird this is?" I breathe as my heart races in my chest.

Chloe looks over to me, "You just did. I don't like this, Max."

I grab onto her hand both to reassure her and myself, "Me neither. As long as we're together, it's fine."

"Yeah." Chloe goes down first, not letting go of my hand for even a second. I can't tell if the shaking I'm feeling is from me or her… maybe both. When we reach the door she tries to open it, but it doesn't budge. There is a keypad on the wall beside the door with a few of the numbers worn down.

 _Hold on._ I reach into my bag and grab the piece of paper I found in Nathan's room, a four-digit code written on it. I punch the numbers in and a green light on the keypad flickers on. Chloe places a hand on the door and glances over at me before nodding and opening the door with a metallic creak. Before us is a bunker, shelves lining the walls filled with food. _This place is stocked for an apocalypse._ A curtain separates this room from the room next to us. Chloe strides on through to the other room and as I'm about to follow, I catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye… a reel of duct tape. _What apocalypse shelter would be complete without duct tape? I have a really bad feeling about this. Let's hope I'm proven wrong._

I steel my resolve and push the curtain aside to follow Chloe through. The room before me is full of expensive looking photography equipment. _I'm kind of jealous._ I walk over to a desk sat in the corner, various scraps of paper and a computer sitting atop it. _Show me your secrets, creepy underground bunker._ I wiggle the mouse, finding the computer unlocked. A picture materializes on the screen, feeling my blood run cold and my breath leave me as if I've been punched. My stomach begins to churn. _Oh god… Kate. What the fuck happened?_ My head becomes hazy and my limbs begin to feel shaky. I swallow and prop myself up using the table. _Max, take a deep breath._

I feel a hand on my back, "Whoa, Max you ok?"

Chloe's voice breaks through the haze, bringing me back to reality. I shake my head and glance at the computer. She follows my eyes and goes over to it, her eyes widening when she sees what is on the screen, "What the fuck? Is that… is that Kate? Oh, Max."

Tears sting at my eyes and I swipe at them furiously. _Kate didn't deserve that. Whoever did this to her is going to pay._

After calming myself down again, I straighten up and make my way over to an ominous looking cabinet. I take a deep breath and tentatively open it. Red binders line the shelves, each with a different name. Three of them catch my eye in particular, Rachel, Kate and Victoria. I place them on the desk, refusing to look at the computer screen anymore and open the binder labeled Victoria to find it empty… for now. My heart drops as my fingers brush the binder with **Kate** written on the spine. I swallow hard as I pull the front cover open, bringing a hand to my mouth as my eyes roam over the horrifying black and white photos. I freeze, unable to look away. _This is sick. Who does this? She looks so out of it. Maybe that's a good thing._ When I finally manage to move my eyes away from the horrendous photos before me, I glance over my shoulder at the collection of binders, a shiver running down my spine as I think about all the poor girls who had this done to them… about Kate. _She must have been so scared…_

"Kate wasn't the first… All those binders are filled with other victims. Victoria must be next. Nathan must plan on drugging her at the party."

Chloe takes the binder with Rachel's name on it, staring at it in fear. She opens it with trembling fingers, "Rachel…" she shakes her head and backs away as she examines the photos, "No, this… this can't be real…" she turns to me, desperation in her blue eyes as tears threaten to fall, "These are all… these are posed shots, right? Right?"

 _I really wish I could tell you that, Chloe._ My eyes wander over the disturbing images."Chloe, look at her face. She's… out of it."

She glances back down at the pictures, then shakes her head and turns to me, her voice wavering, "Maybe… maybe Nathan paid her a shitload of cash to do this. She probably would have." Chloe's eyes beg me, plead me to tell her she is right… but I can't.

"I don't think so. Why is he putting her in the ground like that? Where…" Her face drops as the realization suddenly hits her/ "The junkyard."

* * *

 **Chloe's POV**

The junkyard. Our secret hideout… our haven. _Please not there. It was the one place where I felt happy. It was our special place. I've… I've been sitting around, feeling sorry for myself in that fucking junkyard for six months, when… when she… no. This can't be._

I grab onto Max's arm, "Max, we have to find that spot, now! Then we can see..." _Do I even want to see? I don't think I do. I don't want to see her if she's…_ I give Max a helpless look, "There is no way she's dead. No way! She posed for those pictures, Max. I know it, please…" Even as I am saying these things I know I'm lying to myself, but I can't give up. My heart beats erratically, my breathing spirals out of control. _No. It's not true._

I run out of the room, Max hot on my heels as I race to my truck, yank open the door and start the engine. She hops in the passenger's side as I put my foot down.

* * *

 **Twenty minutes later – Junkyard**

I stop the truck abruptly, getting out and slamming the door shut behind me, running faster than I ever have before in my life. "Chloe, slow down! Wait for me!" Max shouts from behind me. I turn around, grab her hand and pull her along.

"I know exactly where I'm going," I pant as we run through the graveyard of rusted cars and swaying trees until we reach that spot. I freeze, my body filling with dread, "Look, this is it! This is it!" _Oh, fuck. Please, please let this not be real._

I scramble to the floor and start shoveling dirt with my hands, "Are you going to help me, Max?" I question, not stopping for a second.

Max bends down and begins to move dirt aside. She stops abruptly, "Chloe, stop! Look!" She points out part of a black bag buried just under the surface. _No. No, this is not happening. This can't be happening. This has to be a trick._ She rips open the bag and immediately recoils from the rancid stench that permeates the air. I kneel there, completely stunned.

"That smell." Max coughs, covering her nose with her arm.

Desperation and fear gripping at my heart, I crawl closer to the hole, "Rachel…oh, Rachel, no, no! Please, not her." The putrid smell of decay fills my nose, causing me to turn around and throw up. _Fuck._

I feel a hand tentatively placed on my shoulder, "Chloe."

Almost immediately, I launch myself at Max. She wraps her arms around me as I sob uncontrollably. "Rachel… why?"

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I'm so sorry…" She whispers as she rubs small circles into my back in an attempt to calm me down.

 _Oh, Max._ My grip on her tightens, "I loved her so much… how can she be dead? What kind of world does this? Who does this?" Max squeezes me back just as firmly as I bury my head into her shoulder. _Max, why did this happen? I don't understand. It's not fucking fair. Rachel…_

* * *

 **Blackwell Parking Lot**

Max and I sit in my truck, her fingers brushing the back of my hand bringing me out of my daze. At least she's here by my side, supporting me. Even if no-one else is. After all this shit is over, I'm going to show Max just how much she means to me. No more fucking around. It's all too easy to let the moment pass you and leave things unsaid. I don't want that to happen, not again. There are no tears left to cry, only leaving me with bitterness and anger.

"I hope Nathan enjoys his last party." I growl, my teeth clenched.

Max gently places her hand on my arm. "Chloe, we can go right to the cops. We have proof."

That would be the logical thing to do, but my anger clouds my mind. "Fuck the police. Nathan needs to pay for what he did, and he won't if they get involved. Rachel needs real justice."

She offers me a sympathetic look. "Chloe, look I know you're angry and upset right now, I would be too, but we can get the evidence and go. We know where it is." _Everything Max is saying right now is true. I am in no mind frame to make decisions right now. Besides, I trust her._

I sigh, rubbing my face with my hand. "Ok. Fine. We should go find David. I trust him more than the police. I know he wants Nathan's head and doesn't give a shit about his reputation."

Max nods in agreement. "Where would he be?"

I think hard, my brow furrowing in thought. "He's probably doing his rounds. With the party and everything, he's probably out looking for troublemakers taking advantage of the noise."

"Do you have his number?"

With this question, I take my phone out of my pocket, "Yeah, hold on," I tap the screen, holding the phone to my ear as it rings. When no-one answers I hang up and stare at my phone in confusion. "That's strange. He usually picks up. Maybe he doesn't have a signal. I'll text him on the way, hopefully he'll get it."

I get out of the truck, with Max following closely behind me, "Where do we st-?" Her words are cut off abruptly by a loud grunt and a thud. I swivel around to see Max laying on the floor, someone reaches out to help her up.

"Sorry Max, I didn't see you there." A deep voice speaks out, belonging to a man wearing a suit with short brown hair, a beard and glasses.

Max brushes herself off. "Oh, hi Mr. Jefferson."

He smiles at her. "Where are you two off to in a hurry? Aren't you going to enjoy the party? I may even horrify you all by dancing. You wouldn't want to miss that, would you?"

"We need to find David," she announces. "Have you seen him?"

Mr. Jefferson narrows his eyes and his brow furrows in confusion. "Why would you be looking for Mr. Madsen? I didn't think you guys were friends, especially after the whole weed accusation." Max glances over at me helplessly. _I'm glad she isn't telling Jefferson. There is something about him that's a bit… strange right now. We can't trust anyone but each other and David._

I step forward to save her from coming up with something. "I'm looking for him."

He turns to me, a curious expression on his face. "Ah, Miss Price. Well, now I'm even more intrigued."

 _Think of something to say… anything._ "David is my step dou… er, step-dad. My mom wanted me to tell him something. He's been working a lot lately, so she hasn't had the chance. She wanted me to pass on the message."

Mr. Jefferson's face shows realization. "Ah, I see."

Max clears her throat. "Um… not to interrupt or anything, but have you seen David?"

He strokes his chin. "You know, I just saw Mr. Madsen. I can take you to him if you like."

 _He's acting a bit strange. I don't like this._ I dismissively wave away his offer, "That's fine, you can just tell us where he is. Besides, don't you have a contest to announce?"

His eyes seem to betray something, maybe anger or annoyance, but this is gone within a second. It is soon replaced with a strained smile, his lips twitching ever so slightly, "I do indeed. The last time I saw him, he was prowling through the hallway near the photography classroom, that was a minute or two ago. He should still be there, he is very thorough with his searches. He seems to have the idea in his head that someone broke into Blackwell the other night. I have no idea where he could have got that from. He has really stepped up security in that area." He pushes his glasses up his nose. "Are you sure you don't want me to come along? It would be easier than sneaking in. I can explain everything for you."

I grab Max's arm and pull her along. "No, we are fine thanks. Enjoy the party."

* * *

 **Blackwell Hallway**

Everything is eerily silent as we creep down the hallway. _I guess everyone is at the party._

"Are we going to make this a regular thing?" Max whispers into the darkness.

I had to smile at her reluctance to break the rules even after everything we've been through. "Why not? It could be fun sneaking into Blackwell every Wednesday. We could have tea in Principal Well's office. If I can't take the cozy chair with me, I can at least use it in his office, right?"

She rolls her eyes. "You are obsessed with that fucking chair."

I put my arm around Max. "Aw, is Max jealous?" I grin, "I could sit on you if you like."

Max pushes me. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

"Nope."

She shakes her head. "We have to focus right now."

We sneak toward the photography classroom, very cautious of our surroundings. When we reach the door, Max pushes on it and steps inside. I follow close behind her and scan the room. "David? Are you here?" She whispers in a hushed tone. No answer.

"Damn it. He's not here," I groan quietly, shoving my hands in my pockets. "Maybe he's in the science lab." As I go to walk out of the door I hear a loud thud. I spin around to see Max laying on the floor holding out her hand. She must have hit into some of the desks and fallen over. "Max, your clumsiness really is amazing. I'm surprised you've survived this long, to be honest. Come on, I'll help you up." I chuckle as I stride over to help her. As I approach her, something seems… off. Her eyes are unfocused and glazed over.

"Ch-Chloe… l-look out!" she stutters weakly, slurring her words. _Look out… look out for what?_

Just as I'm about to turn around to where Max is looking, I feel something slam into my face. A sharp pain enters my lip, something warm oozing from it. My body slumps to the floor, my world blurring around the edges as I feel myself fade in and out of consciousness. _I have to stay awake… I have to. Max is in trouble. I need to help her._ I struggle to keep my eyes open, but it is a battle I am losing.

I can see a shadowy figure striding towards Max, a distorted voice echoing around the empty classroom. I shake my head to stay awake. "You just couldn't help yourself, could you? You had to stick your nose into things that aren't your business. Now, you and Chloe are going to die. Are you happy? Is that what you wanted?"

I grit my teeth, which doesn't help the throbbing in my lip. _Get the fuck away from her._

"Not before I get some shots, of course." My limbs feel weak as I try to move them but fail. Unfortunately, my attempts have caught the attention of the figure. "I will get to you in a minute, Miss Price. Don't worry about that. I think I shall be enjoying this session especially." As my vision slowly fades to black, my last thought is trying to protect her. _Max, I'm sorry._

* * *

… **and we shall leave it there for now. Have an awesome day and see you soon.**


	7. Smile For The Camera

**Hey guys, hope you're all having a great day today. I would imagine you taking control of Chloe for the majority of this chapter if it was part of the game. Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven: Smile for The Camera**

 **Max's POV - Max's Mind – The Junkyard – Chloe and Rachel's Hideout**

 _ **Max… Max… wake up.**_ A hushed voice echoes around me, waking me from my dazed slumber. _**Welcome back. I was worried we'd lost you prematurely.**_

I slowly open my bleary eyes and scan my surroundings. I groan when I realize that I'm in their junkyard hideout again. _Why am I here?_ My neck hurts from the awkward angle I was asleep at, sat on a chair. I try to move, but my hands and feet are strapped to it with duct tape. Desperation gripping my heart, I pull against the restraints as hard as I can, to no avail. After several attempts, I lean back in the chair and grit my teeth. _Fuck._

Rachel stands there in front of me, absentmindedly inspecting her nails almost as if she is bored of all this. _**There is no point in trying to escape, Max.**_

 _Leave me alone._ The last thing I need now is her adding insult to injury.

She takes a step closer, crouching down in front of me. _**No can do I'm afraid.**_ She pulls up another chair, positioning it in front of and sits down, resting her chin on her hands. Once settled, she brushes her long blonde hair over her shoulder, exposing her blue feather earring. _**You are in quite the predicament, aren't you? Drugged and the only person who knows where you are is here with you, stuck in the exact same situation. Chloe will die soon.**_

I shake my head, refusing to accept what she's saying. _Chloe. No._

She gives me an almost pitying look, her hazel eyes piercing mine. _**Chloe, yes. I'm afraid so, Max. You know it's true. But don't worry. You'll be joining her too. You can go out together. Won't it be romantic? Isn't that what you want? You'll even get to see me, the 'real' me. Isn't that exciting?**_ Her lip quirks upwards into a smile, but her eyes remain cold and distant as before, however they seem to have lost their previous teasing quality.

 _What do you want from me?_ I ask, trying to understand why she is tormenting me like this.

Rachel twirls a strand of her long blonde hair around her index finger in contemplation and sighs. _**What does anyone want? I think the person you need to ask this question is not me, but yourself. What do you want?**_

The answer comes easily to me. _I want to get out of here._

Rachel laughs, but it is more tired than taunting. _**That's a good one. This is your mind, Max. You can never escape it.**_ She gets up from her chair and stands in front of me, her hands resting on the arms of my chair as she leans in close to my face. _**Now, you can really become me, Max. You can live this experience I had to endure. You can be framed by the world famous photographer Mark Jefferson, your inspiration. Isn't that great? Don't you feel privileged? I mean, you've been dying to be me for a while now, right? You've taken my place, my clothes… my lover.**_ She stares intently at me, making me feel very uncomfortable. _**Now, you can literally die to be me.**_

 _I didn't ask for this._ I point out, wanting nothing more than to return to a time when I didn't have to worry about killer teachers, storms and death.

My answer makes her scoff and shake her head. _**And you think I did? Or Kate? Do you really think any of his 'subjects' asked for this?**_ Her hazel eyes close as she sighs. _**I did try to warn you. I told you to escape, to free yourself of them. You wouldn't listen.**_ She stands up straight and crosses her arms. _**I mean, if it weren't for Chloe, you might have had a chance of living. Sure, you probably still would have been drugged and kidnapped, but you might have survived.**_ Her face darkens and her voice almost becomes a low growl. _**You just couldn't keep out of it, could you? You're too nosy for your own good, Max. Instead, you go off playing detective. Unfortunately, it's not Scooby Doo.**_ Rachel puts on an expression of mock sympathy, her voice taunting yet again. _**You couldn't even protect the one person you care for. Pathetic. She's going to be with me now. She'll be happy. What was the phrase Jefferson used?**_ She taps her cheek with her finger, deep in thought. _**Oh yeah,**_ **w** _ **e'll be 'fucking together in heaven'. When you die, you can join us if you like, and you will die tonight, Max. Do you want me to tell you what it feels like to die… or would you like to keep it a surprise?**_ She gently grabs my chin and pulls my head up so I am looking directly at her. _**I would love to help you, Max but I can't. I'm dead, remember? It's not like you can change the past… oh wait, you can.**_ Her tone is scathing as she speaks. _**You didn't save me, you let me die. Was I that much of a threat to you? Were you so worried that Chloe would abandon you if I showed up? She doesn't love you. She is using you.**_

I shake my head firmly, the only part of my body I really can move at this point. Maybe it's my imagination but it feels like my constraints are getting tighter by the second. _No._

Rachel doesn't seem happy by my answer. _**It's like with Kate. You could have gone back and stopped everything from happening, but you didn't. You let her suffer and she almost died because of it. If Jefferson decides to 'test her faith' again, she might still. What kind of a friend are you?**_

 _I can't go back that far._

She shakes her head, unimpressed with my excuses. _**Did you really try? I don't think so.**_ Rachel sighs, running her fingers through her long blonde hair. _**It's too late now anyway. Things are how they are. Now, you have to live with the consequences… or maybe die with them is apter.**_

That is all I can take from her. In an uncharacteristic show of anger, I shout at her. _Shut the fuck up! I can't stand to listen to you anymore. You are so full of shit._

Her expression suddenly turns to one of unadulterated rage. She raises her hand and slaps me across the cheek, her hazel eyes steely as she hisses. _**How dare you? I'm trying to help you, ungrateful bitch. It's your fault that you're here, not mine. I am simply telling you the truth. It's not my fault if you don't want to hear it.**_ She pauses and exhales deeply, her face softening as she offers me an apologetic smile. _**I'm sorry, Max. I shouldn't have done that.**_ Her hand reaches out and she strokes my cheek where her hand connected just moments before. Despite my struggle to get away from her touch, I can't. I am frozen to the spot as her eyes pin me to the spot. _**Are you afraid, Max? I was. Sure, I put on a brave face for the camera, I am a model after all, but deep down I was terrified.**_ Her eyes finally soften, an unexpected flicker of sympathy entering them. _**Don't worry, it will all be over soon. I'll be here with you until the end. You can spend an eternity with Chloe and I. Doesn't that sound tempting? We can be hella best friends forever.**_

If there is still a chance to fix this, I will take it. I have too much to live for to just give up. _I can't give up. I won't._

Rachel offers me a sad smile. _**Don't say I didn't try. Good luck, Max. You're going to need it if you and Chloe plan on getting out of here. I'll be waiting for you, both of you. Remember… smile for the camera.**_

* * *

 **Chloe's POV**

Pain suddenly enters my head, making me clutch at it, "Uh… my head." My eyes flicker open as I sit up from the ground where I had been laying. "Where am I?" I scan the area, seeing rusted cars surrounding me along with other junk. The tall trees look over me, casting a long shadow as they swish and sway in the breeze.

 _I think I'm in the junkyard. That doesn't make sense. What happened? Where is Max?_ I take a deep breath and stand up to investigate the area further. In the distance I see a figure walking towards me. _Is that Max?_ I squint to try and see who it is. As the figure's features become visible, my eyes widen in shock. "Rachel…"

The gentle warm breeze gently ruffles her long blonde hair, exposing her blue feather earring dangling down from her left ear. Her hazel eyes twinkle as she beams at me, "My dear Chloe."

 _I thought she was… I don't care at this point._ "Rach," I breath as I launch myself at her, hugging her tightly as I bury my head in her shoulder. "I missed you so much."

She strokes my head to calm me down. "I missed you too."

A booming mischievous voice echoes behind me. "Hey, where's my hug?"

I turn my head to the sound, seeing a blonde haired man with a kind face standing there and smiling at me warmly. I stand there for a moment, unable to comprehend the sight before me. "Dad…"

He strolls forward and gathers me up into a hug bear hug, "My, how you've grown. I'm digging the hair by the way."

"Dad, I've missed you." I falter. _Dad. You're here. I can't believe it._

He squeezes me. "I miss you too, sweetie."

Eventually. I break away and look around at my surroundings. "Where are we?"

Dad and Rachel exchange glances, then Rachel takes a step forward with a kind smile. "We're in your head, silly. Where else would we be?"

 _Wait… did she just say…_ "What?!" I exclaim, racking my brain to find even a single scrap of memory that will help me understand.

* * *

 _ **I see Max fall to the ground, hitting the floor with a thud and walk over to investigate,**_ " _ **Chloe… look out."**_ _ **Pain shoots through my face, blood trickling down my chin. A shadowy figure mocks us in a taunting tone. I try to move, but my body refuses, my limbs dead weights. Despite my will, everything begins to slip away...**_

* * *

A wave of panic surges through me as I remember what happened to us. _Max. Oh god. I need to find her. I need to…_ I take a deep breath and turn to Rachel and dad. "What do I do now?"

Rachel offers me a sad smile. "Chloe, Max needs you now."

Dad places his hand on my shoulder. "You have unfinished business to attend to. We'll be waiting for you, Chloe. For you and Max. I can't wait for the day I finally get to see her again. Tell me, what is she like now?"

 _How can I possibly put it into words?_ My lip quirks up into a fond smile as I think of Max. "She… she is amazing. She's been there for me when things were… tough."

Rachel sighs and looks at me apologetically, "I'm sorry you had to find out about me that way, or any way." Her expression hardens considerably then. "Make that bastard pay for me."

"I will," I promise her, then continue. "Max has been the best friend I could ever have asked for and… and I love her."

Dad's face softens, his expression gentle. "I knew it was only a matter of time."

This statement catches me off guard. "You… you knew?"

He chuckles heartily, "You guys weren't very subtle. You and Max were so great together. Always looking out for one another, protecting each other and making each other happy. It reminded me of Joyce and I. I thought that maybe something would happen sooner or later. It was pretty obvious that you loved each other." His face drops as his eyes show sadness and regret. "Maybe… maybe if I hadn't died then you two could have worked it out sooner. I put you through a lot, I'm sorry."

Warm tears begin to fall from my eyes and run down my cheeks. "Don't… don't say that. It's not your fault."

He places a hand on my face, gently wiping away the tears, "I know honey, it just feels that way sometimes. Just know that I am so proud of you. You've become a strong independent woman and although there have been a few bumps on the road you've made it to the other side. I love you and always remember that I am here with you. We will be reunited one day and then we can all stay here together. We can smile and laugh, I can cook up some of my famous burgers. We can be a family again." He gives me a huge cheeky grin, the very same one I often have, and takes a step back.

Rachel moves forward and hugs me, her breath tickling my ear as she whispers, "We can go to our special hiding place at the junkyard. We can chat and mess around. We can hide away from the world, and Max will be there too. We can be hella best friends forever." She pecks me on the cheek before stepping back.

 _I have to know. I need to get some closure, even if she's just a figment of my imagination._ "Will… will you finally answer me?"

Her expression softens at the question, "You sure are persistent, huh?" She closes her eyes and plays with her blue feather earring. "Look Chloe, we were both lonely. We just found each other and clung on as tightly as we could." She sighs and opens her now gentle hazel eyes again. "I was foolish. I should have been there for you more. I should have just given you everything I had. I got involved in some serious shit with Mark. He lured me in and then look what happened. I… was scared of what would happen if I gave everything to you."

 _Rachel was… scared?_ "Why?" I question, knowing that the 'real' Rachel Amber would never have admitted if she was scared.

She exhales deeply and crosses her arms protectively over her chest. "I… don't like being dependent on anyone. That way, no-one can let you down. I have fun and if shit happens, it doesn't matter. Also, I could see that there was another in your heart." Her words confuse me, even though I know this is all coming from my own head. She smirks smugly at my confounded expression, her eyebrow raised skeptically. "Don't even try to act like you don't know what I'm talking about, Priceless. You may have loved me, but Max is your soulmate. The one person who would do anything for you without regard for their own safety, and you would do exactly the same for them. I couldn't provide what you needed, but I know Max can and will." She carefully takes a hold of my shoulders and gazes deeply into my eyes. "I did love you, but I couldn't let you fool yourself into thinking that I was what you needed."

My voice has cut out on me, rendering me unable to speak. I'm finally getting answers I have wanted for such a long time. It's not quite the same as coming directly from Rachel herself, but I'll take anything at this point. Anything for some closure.

She closes her eyes momentarily and takes a deep breath, her voice holding a tenderness she had reserved for the most vulnerable of situations. When we laid there huddled up under blankets, our legs tangled and fingertips caressing exposed skin as sunlight seeped through the smudged glass of a window, "You need someone who will sit until 3 am in the morning just chatting about stupid illogical topics, someone who will lay beside you the entire day watching TV and eating bag after bag of popcorn until you both get sick, you need someone who will hold you tight and stay with you while you cry." She smiles at me sadly. "I think you know what I'm saying is true. What we had was real and I enjoyed every minute of the time I spent with you, but you need to live your life in the present, not the past. Look after Max and yourself." After a few moments deep in thought, she breaks out into a wide toothy grin, "I'm impressed you managed to bag such a hot babe, Chloe. I'm kind of jealous. When Max comes here, you'll have to watch out. I won't take any prisoners." She winks suggestively. _She just can't help herself._

Dad and Rachel stand side by side in front of me, two ghost that for so long have haunted me, now finally at peace. "Go on now," dad smiles proudly." Go do what you have to do, my brave little girl. We will be waiting."

Rachel gives me one last kiss on my cheek and whispers, "Take care, my love. See you on the other side." Before she leaves, she winks at me. "remember, persistence is… key."

* * *

 **Dark Room**

My cheek begins to feel cold as the foggy haze from my mind is lifted. A sharp pain shoots through my lip as I regain consciousness. "Ugh… fuck," I mutter, my voice thick from my swollen lip as I open my bleary eyes. The flash of bright white light causes me to immediately shut them again and make them water. After a few seconds, I try opening them a fraction again. A faint metallic taste lingers on my lips from the blood that has run down onto my shirt, staining it. _So much for not ruining my shirt with blood. At least it looks like it's stopped bleeding. It still hurts, though. I bet I'm going to need some serious stitches. Maybe I'll get an awesome lip scar. I bet Max would totally dig that._

My limbs still feel numb, but I can wiggle my fingers. I try moving my hands apart, but find them bound by something. _Fuck._ Panic races through my mind as I attempt to pull my feet apart, again finding them tied together. _God fucking damn it._

I rest my aching head against the cold floor again, gritting my teeth in frustration which sends a searing pain through my lips, causing me to wince. I take a deep breath to get it back under control. As I lay there, my eyelids become heavy and I struggle to keep my eyes open. _It would be nice just to lay here and… and..._ I shake my head violently to keep myself awake. _No, you can nap later. I need to find her… I have to. That fucker is going to pay for everything he's done. I have to get to Max, no matter what._

As my vision returns, a room materializes… one I had hoped to never set foot in again for as long as I lived. _Oh god, not here again._ There is no mistaking it, I'm back in the dark room, the place where I learned of Rachel's fate. My stomach churns as the vivid images of her posed lifeless body appear in my mind. _Why here of all places? Is the universe trying to taunt me?_

"Chloe… are you awake? Please… please be ok…" a strained soft-spoken voice whispers to my left. I shuffle and turn my head to the source of the sound and feel the sting of tears as Max's freckled face comes into view.

 _Oh, thank god. Max is still ok._ I sigh in relief and feel like simultaneously crying and laughing.

"Chloe?"

I lift my head, trying hard to focus on Max's voice as I call out to her weakly, "Max…" _I sound so pathetic. I don't think the lip really helps._

When she hears me stir she exhales deeply, her voice threatening to break, "Oh thank god. I thought…" She stops abruptly and shakes her head.

Feeling slightly calmer now, I shuffle to get a better look at her, relieved when I don't see any cuts or bruises on her. If that bastard had even laid a finger on her, I would have torn him to shreds the second I saw him, unable to contain my fury. "I'm… ok." I reassure, not wanting her to worry about me. Sure, I'd been better, but I'm still alive by her side. "Are you?"

Max attempts to shrug with limited success, her movements limited by her restraints, "As much as I can be in this kind of situation."

Again, I pull on my constraints, trying to get them loose, but they don't budge. I give up and look over to the chair Max is tied to. "Max, we need to get out of here."

"No shit, Sherlock." She mutters, her voice calmer than I would have expected. I suppose the fact that she has been more life threatening situations this past week than ever before in her life has prepared her for this… a distressing thought. _Still, I'm glad to see she hasn't lost her sense of humor._

I give her my most convincing look of mild disapproval, "Hey, we don't have time for Max the Smartass right now. Save it for when we get out of here." I scan the space before me, wondering where our captor has gone. "Where is Jefferson?"

"I don't know. When I woke up he wasn't here." She sighs, sounding miserable.

"How long ago was that?" I ask, trying to work out how much time we potentially had before he came back.

Max's face crumples up in concentration. "Maybe five minutes."

 _Depending on where he's gone, we could have half an hour… or a few minutes. Come on, Chloe. Use that brain of yours for once in your life and think…_ I yank at my restraints, that I now realize is duct tape… very original, until my wrists hurt and start turning red from the pressure, but nothing happens. I roll over to get a look at the other side of the room when something digs into my thigh.

"Ouch," I mumble under my breath, wondering what it is. I reach down to my right pants' pocket and feel around, something that isn't easy when your hands are bound together, I don't recommend it. My fingers brush against something hard and metal. I spend the next few moments fishing it out of my pocket. "Bingo." Now laying on the floor beside my leg is the key to my truck. I stare at the metal part of the key, the thing that had been digging into my leg before. _I wonder… could we use it to loosen the duct tape? Worth a shot I guess._ I mentally congratulate myself as the beginning of a plan forms in my head, "Max, I've got an idea… kind of." I shuffle over to her, with great difficulty I might add, and show her the key.

"How is that going to help?" she asks with a puzzled expression. "We can't use your truck until we get out of here. Besides, Jefferson might have torched it already."

A pang of sadness enters my heart at the thought of my truck getting torched, but then realize this is not the time nor place to think about such trivial things. "Well, how about we use it to get rid of this stupid duct tape? We can punch a hole through with the key and get free."

Max's eyes widen as she grasps my plan. She beams at me. "Chloe, you are an actual genius."

"I know." I grin, trying to lighten the mood despite the fear building up inside me with every passing second.

She rolls her eyes. "And so modest too."

I use the chair to position myself so that I can maneuver the key into Max's hand. One false move now and precious seconds could be wasted scrambling around to pick the key up again. I focus harder than I ever have before as her fingers wrap around the key. I move so that the duct tape on my hands in near the blade of the key for her to begin puncturing it. I turn to her before she starts. "Oh and try not to stab my hand please."

She smirks tiredly, the dark circles under her eyes prominent. "I can't make any promises."

I move my hands as close to Max as possible as she works on freeing me. After a few moments of struggling, she manages to puncture it. I wriggle my hands, feeling the tape give, "Hella yes. Keep going, Max." She makes a few more holes as I pull with all my might as I mutter under my breath. "Just a few more." I pull hard, the tape finally breaking and I rub at my sore wrists. "Damn Max, we did it."

Now able to move my hands, I take the key from her and use it to free my legs. When I'm free I hear a creak above us, causing me to both Max and I to freeze and listen intently. _Shit, he must be back already. We don't have much time…_ I bite my lip and glance up at Max with a conflicted expression, not really wanting to resort to this plan, "Max, do you trust me?"

Without hesitation, she nods. "Yes."

I take the key and slightly loosen her restraints with the blade of the key, then gaze deeply into her eyes, "If everything…" I pause, swallowing hard at the thought of not getting out of this. "…anyway you should be able to get free if you need to. I'll pretend I'm still tied up and when I see an opportunity, I'll annihilate that bastard. We need to take him by surprise. Just keep him distracted and we'll get out of this." Max nods solemnly, her face full of determination.

I lean in close and press my lips against hers, kissing her tenderly. _Max is shaking with fear… or is it me who is shaking?_ My lip aches as I kiss her, but I don't let that stop me. This could be the final time if things go to shit, so I have to let her know. I ignore the pain, sliding my tongue into her mouth to deepen the kiss and cradle her cheeks with my hands. _Oh god. Please let this work. I've finally found Max again. Don't take her from me. Don't tear us apart ever again._ Warm tears roll down my cheeks and tasting slightly salty as they reach my lips. My heart aches from the tenderness of the contact. _Now is no time for this, Chloe. You'll have plenty of time later. Focus on the task at hand._

I reluctantly pull away from Max, placing one last kiss on her forehead, "Max, I love you."

"I love you too, Chloe," Max's voice is little more than a whisper as she bumps her forehead against mine, "Give 'em hell."

 _That bastard is not going to get away with this. I won't let him hurt Max._ I take a step back, giving her a reassuring smile and go back over to where I was previously laying, making sure to hide my hands and feet. _I'm sure that asshole won't pay much attention to me anyway. As long as I don't do anything drastic and time this right, we'll be fine. I guess if everything turns to shit, Max will be able to rewind. I don't want to have to rely on that, though._ I have no idea how much time passes as I lay there, listening for the slightest sound. Finally, after what seems like an eternity I hear a door closing and floorboards creaking above us. I close my eyes and moments later feel a slight movement of wind beside me along with footsteps.

A cold, taunting voice echoes through the room, "Max, how are you?"

"Eat shit and die." She hisses.

A deep laugh rumbles through the room. "Good answer, good answer."

I open my eyes a fraction, seeing Jefferson standing over Max, lecturing her about his fucked up work. The very sight of him causes anger to pulsate through my veins. All I want to do now is run over and beat him to a pulp, my body tensing in anticipation. _Not yet, Chloe. Wait for the perfect opportunity. You might only get one shot at this._

"It would appear that Miss Price is not yet with us. That makes things easier. Now, Max, are you ready for the show I promised?" His footsteps move closer to me.

"Please. Don't do this." She pleads. My stomach drops at how broken she sounds. _Oh, Max…_ _It'll be ok. Everything will be ok. I'm not going to leave you again. We will get through this as a team._

"So, what shall it be first? What do you think, Max?" His cold mocking voice reverberates around the room.

"Don't touch her." She growls aggressively. _That's it, Max. Distract him._

"Max. It's your fault she is going to die painfully." The voice speaks as it gets closer and closer. I tighten my grip on the key in my hand, ready to strike at the opportune moment. When he is within touching distant, I aggressively plunge the blade of the key into Jefferson's leg. He howls in pain as I push the key into his leg as deep as possible and begin to twist. As he stumbles back I jump to my feet. I lunge at him, taking advantage of his distracted state and smash a nearby bottle over his head, the shards littering the floor. He staggers around in a daze and I use this chance to kick his shin, further aggravating the pain in his leg. He exhales sharply, "You fucking-"

I hear a loud smash from behind us and glance over to see some of his precious photo equipment smashed on the floor. _Way to go, Max._

He runs over towards the sound and glares at Max, "You stupid bitch! Do you realize how much that costs?!"

I grab a camera from the side and lob it at his head. It connects with a satisfying thud as he reels back, clutching at his head. "How much did that cost?" I snarl, readying myself for a fight.

He turns to me, his eyes almost demonic as he spits, "Oh, you've done it now." He grabs the gun from the side and advances towards me.

"Chloe, duck!" Max screams. I follow her instruction, the bullet narrowly missing me. I have no time to be shocked as I run, punching him in the nose as hard as I possibly can, a loud crunch filling the air. He recoils, clutching at his nose, the gun flying out of his hand onto the floor. Furious, he launches himself at me, rage in his eyes and blood running from his nose. He slaps me hard across the face, causing my vision to blur and my body to collapse. I can taste blood from the re-opened wound on my lip. Jefferson straightens out his jacket, then leans down to face me smirking. "Chloe Price. I must say I am impressed. You don't die easily. You are a fighter, just like Rachel. I am sorry about your lip by the way."

Jefferson goes to touch my face, his hand stopping when Max screams out in anger. "Don't you fucking touch her!"

I turn to her, seeing her desperately struggling against her restraints. She stretches out her right hand, blood pouring from her nose. Jefferson stands up and makes his way over to her, "My dear Max, you have front row seats to see the death of Miss Chloe Price. I hope you enjoy the show… I know I will." He offers her a smile of mock sympathy. "Max, your nose. Sorry, I must have gotten the dose wrong. I'll help you."

He moves closer to her and suddenly cries out in agony. Max has managed to free one of her legs from its constraints and has kicked him in the balls. He takes a step back out of reach of Max's foot as I struggle to move, seething with rage. "You shouldn't have done that, Max. Now, I'm going to make Chloe's death as excruciating as possible. I'm going to make you watch her suffer."

 _No. I can't let this happen. Come on, Chloe._ Fuelled by my determination to protect Max, I manage to pull myself up and lunge at Jefferson, pinning him to the floor as I punch his smug face repeatedly."This is for Kate." **SMACK**. "This is for Rachel." **SMACK.** "And this… this one is for Max." **SMACK**.

His body goes limp and he doesn't say another word. I take some duct tape from the side and tie his hands and feet together. _Now that fucker can't escape._ Shaking now, I stand up and make my way over to Max, seeing her nose is bloody. _I wonder how many times she had to rewind then… how many times she had to see me die. Max, I'm so sorry._

"Chloe…" she whispers as I release her completely from the chair. As soon as she is free she dives at me, wrapping her arms around me. "Ch-Chloe."

I hold her as tight as I can as she sobs uncontrollably. "I'm here, Max. I'm here."

"I thought… I thought you were going to d-die."

I gently stroke her hair to calm her down. "So did I, but I'm here. I'm still here with you."

She seems so small and broken as she clings onto me with quivering arms for dear life. _How can I calm her?_ An idea runs through my head. I clear my throat and begin to gently sing a familiar tune, one that seems fitting right now. " **Let's say sunshine for everyone, but as far as I can remember. We've been migratory animals, living under, changing weather. Someday we will foresee obstacles, through the blizzard, through the blizzard."**

As I sing, Max's grip loosens, her breathing returning to a steady pace. She rests her head against my shoulder and closes her eyes. I place a gentle kiss on her forehead when I finish. She looks up at me, her eyes calm once again. "Thank you, Chloe."

I offer her a sad smile. "Anytime."

 _It's fine, Chloe. She's here. She's safe. Is this how Max felt every time she saved me?_

Max's eyes widen in horror, "Chloe, your lip…" Warm blood drips down from my lip. I wipe at it with the back of my hand, flinching as pain shoots through it. I examine my hand to see it now streaked with blood. Max gently reaches up and brushes her fingertips against the cut, making me wince.

"Tis but a scratch." I jokingly comment as she fumbles around in her pocket and finds a seemingly clean tissue. She begins to gently dab at the blood, cleaning me up. Once the bleeding has stopped and I'm all cleaned up, I glance over to Jefferson lying face down on the floor. _Now, what are we going to do with this piece of shit?_

"Can you stand, Max?"

"I… I think so," she stutters as I give her a hand up. She walks over to her now burnt possessions, her face dropping as her eyes fall on the remains of her journal. "He burnt my journal. I… I've lost all those pictures of us."

I grab hold of her hand. "Don't worry, Max. We'll take so many more."

"I hope so." She sniffles.

Now I turn my attention to Jefferson, walking over and kicking him in the ribs, making him groan. I lean down close to his face, venom in my voice. "Why, huh?" He laughs maniacally at my question. The sound causes my teeth to grit and I kick him harder. "Answer the fucking question!"

His eyes meet mine, full of contempt as he scoffs. "Why, you say? Why? What do you want me to clarify?"

I grab hold of his hair and aggressively pull, his face contorting into one of pain. _Good. It will never be enough. Not in comparison to the pain you've inflicted on all those poor girls._ "Why did you do all this?" I spit at him angrily.

He grimaces. "Because I like the innocence of the unconscious model."

"Oh yeah? Well, Rachel was a bit more than fucking unconscious, wasn't she?" I hiss.

A disappointed expression crosses his face. "Ah, Rachel."

The way he says her name makes me feel ill. I pull harder, twisting his hair. "Don't you dare say her name! You don't deserve to!"

He smirks at me. "I thought she was special. I was wrong. She's just like all those other sluts I could find anywhere. It was a real shame finding that out. I really thought I had found the perfect subject. No, the real special one is…" he looks past me and leers, "…Max." I follow his eyes over to Max, the fear in her eyes is making my heart hurt. She backs away from him and slumps down against the wall, hugging her knees. "Come on, Max. There is no need to be afraid," he "We can spend eternity here, in the dark. Wouldn't you like that? Together, fore-"

 **BANG!** The gunshot bounces around the walls as I stand over his body, the gun pointed at him. He lays motionless on the ground, blood running like waters from his head, his face no longer carrying a smug grin.

"You can't fucking have her! You hear me! YOU CAN'T FUCKING HAVE HER!" I shout, my voice reverberates around the room. _I hope you burn in hell forever, you sick bastard._ My hands shake as I look over his lifeless corpse. I take a deep breath and pull out my phone, seeing several missed calls and texts from David.

 **David: Chloe, what's wrong? I just saw your text**

 **David: Chloe, please answer me**

 **David: Where are you?**

There is also a voice mail. **"Chloe, please call me as soon as you get this. I'm worried. Please. Answer. Arcadia Bay isn't safe."** I punch in David's number, holding the phone up to my ear and waiting for him to pick up. A gruff voice filters through **. "Chloe. Are you ok?"** He sounds genuinely concerned, something that shocks me a bit.

"I'm fine." I hear a sigh of relief. _Maybe he does care._ "Come to the barn right now. You know which one."

He is silent for a moment. **"I'm on my way, hold tight."**

I end the call and move over to where Max is sat, "Max, he can't hurt you anymore. I'm here," she doesn't seem to hear me. I kneel down in front of her and grab hold of her hands, which seems to break her out of her trance.

"Ch-Chloe." She hugs me aggressively, her body shaking.

"It's ok, Max. We're safe now. We did it," I lean my forehead against hers, "I'm never leaving you, ever."

"Me either." She whispers as our fingers intertwine. _I swear I will never let go of her hand._

* * *

 **So, I am working under the assumption that the tornado vision was linked to Jefferson and his sick and twisted "art" fetish, because why not. I'm taking Rachel as the main starting point. By killing her, he tipped the universe out of balance. Max was going to be Jefferson's next victim anyway, so it would make sense for the universe to choose her to eliminate him and restore the balance. This kills two birds with one stone, by preventing further death and therefore the balance being tipped even further, and stopping Jefferson.**

 **Chloe was there to make sure Max's powers triggered (she needed a traumatic event to kick start them, so she could figure out she had them. There would be no point if Max got the powers, but didn't know as she wouldn't use them against Jefferson). Chloe pushed Max closer to finding out about Jefferson, by searching for Rachel. As for Chloe dying all the time, maybe to strengthen Max's powers and to tighten their bond, so that Max would indefinitely help Chloe, leading her closer to Jefferson.**

 **I am taking the tornado as both a metaphor for Jefferson, tearing Arcadia apart with drugging, kidnapping, murder etc. and also an eventual storm as a last attempt to frantically remove Jefferson by the universe, if Max had failed. With Jefferson's death, the balance of the universe was restored. The tornado is no longer required.**

 **Have an amazing day and stay safe out there.**


	8. Story Time

**Hey everybody. This is the last chapter, but I have squished as much fluff as possible in this one. Get ready for the last part, it is making me feel all warm and fuzzy. Prepare yourselves. Enjoy**

* * *

 **Chapter Eight: Story Time**

 **Chloe's POV – One month later**

I look out over the calm waters from the cliff top as the sun begins to set, casting an orangey haze over the area as Max and I sit side by side on the worn down bench near the Lighthouse. It seems like such a long time ago since we were first here, the time Max first told me about her powers. I lean back, placing my hands behind my head.

"It's funny to think that just over a month ago, we were sat here basically strangers. Now…" I reach over and grab Max's hand firmly.

She leans her head against my shoulder and sighs contently, "Yeah."

Things have been so hectic over the past few weeks and we haven't had much time to ourselves. With the aftermath of Jefferson, everyone went nuts. Arcadia itself suffered a few days of gale force winds and torrential rain... but nothing like the gargantuan storm Max had described to me from her nightmare, something we were both thankful for.

Max and I stayed at the hospital for a while. She was there for longer than me, but I made sure to visit her every day for as long as they would allow. At first, they kicked me out when visiting time was over, but I snuck back into her hospital room. I didn't want to leave her alone… not again. Her room was on the first floor, so all she had to do was open the window and I was in. Eventually, they gave up and just let me stay. They knew I would find a way in somehow. _Rules and locks can't stop Chloe Price._

We were questioned about the incident. We kept it as vague as possible to throw off suspicion. The police never found Jefferson's body, David made sure of that. He said that we had been through enough and that we didn't need court cases and stuff to deal with. As far as the police are aware, Jefferson is still out there. David grabbed all the evidence we needed, then we torched the barn along with the dark room, watching on as that wretched building went up in flames. The police think that Jefferson was the one who torched the place in an attempt to hide his tracks after being discovered. _Yet another secret Arcadia Bay will take to the grave._

"Chloe." Max calls out, bringing me from my thought.

I glance down at her. "Yes, Max."

Max snuggles up to me closer, her hair rustling in the warm gentle breeze. "Let's not go on any more adventures for a while. I think we've seen enough to last a lifetime."

 _We've definitely seen some action, that's for sure._ I squeeze her hand, "Are pirate adventures ok?"

She meets my gaze, her soft blue eyes gentle and loving. "I can make an exception for that."

I grin and lean in close to her, rubbing our noses together. "Good. I've got to find me some booty."

Max giggles. "You've got some booty right here, you know."

Her humor is just what I need to get through the day. I kiss her forehead. "That I do, and it be some mighty fine booty."

Birds lazily swoop over our heads, the gentle breeze causing the trees to dance as the slowly setting sun reflects on the surface of the water. _I can't believe we made it. For a while there, I thought we were goners for sure. I guess we really are a good team._

As I gaze out over the sea I feel a hand on my face. It carefully turns my head towards Max, her brow furrowing slightly in worry. "Ok, I know that look. What are you thinking about?"

I take a deep breath, gathering my thoughts, "Max, I… I want to show you how much you mean to me. No more fucking around." I bring her hand to my lips, placing a tender kiss on the back, my heart pounding in anticipation. "I want… want to make what we have official." My voice trails off into a whisper as I gaze deeply into Max's familiar blue eyes.

Her eyes widen a fraction, then she breaks out into a huge grin, "Nothing would make me happier, Chloe." She leans over and kisses my cheek, then my nose and finally my lips.

I sigh in relief, "That's good. It would have been kind of embarrassing otherwise." I stand up abruptly, taking Max by the hand and dragging her along excitedly. "Let's get food to celebrate… uh, you might have to buy this time."

Max shakes her head and rolls her eyes playfully. "Don't I always?"

"You've got to have your uses sometimes, Caulfield." I wink and grin cheekily as we make our way to my truck.

* * *

 **Three months later**

Max holds my hand, guiding me along with my eyes tight shut at her request. "No peeking."

I blindly feel around in front of me. "Where are you taking me, Caulfield?"

She giggles at my vulnerable state. "It's a surprise." After stumbling forward for a few more minutes, we stop abruptly. "Ok, open."

My eyes open slowly, Max's room coming into view, the floor covered in pillows and blankets instead of used cups and crumpled up pieces of paper. She closes the door behind me and grins. "I thought we could make a pillow fort. You know, like old times. So… what do you think?"

 _God, Max is such a nerd._ I grab her by the waist, pick her up and whirl her around causing her to squeal, "It's a great idea." I shout as I spin out of control and we both end up in an undignified heap on the floor among the blankets and pillows.

Max lays on top of me groaning, "Ouch." She re-positions herself so she's leaning on her hands above me.

I chuckle, reaching up and tucking a strand of Max's mid-length brown hair behind her ear. "Sorry. I got carried away."

She shakes her head, "I've heard _**that**_ before." A smiles tugs at her lips as she leans down and briefly presses a kiss against mine. "You are always getting carried away." She untangles herself and grabs a few of the pillows together.

Once recovered from our fall, I sit up and join her. "Dare I ask where all these pillows came from?"

Max smiles coyly at me. "That's for me to know and for you to find out."

* * *

 **Fifteen minutes later**

I step back, wiping my brow and inspect our work, "I think this might just be the most awesome pillow fort we have ever created."

Max grabs onto my arm like an excited child, "I'm inclined to agree with you there. Let's go try it out," she gets on her hands and knees, starting to crawl into the entrance. She glances back over her shoulder at me, "You coming?"

"I was just enjoying the view." I grin cheekily at her.

She rolls her eyes playfully at me. "Get in here, Price."

"I like it when you get bossy." I tease, following her in and we get settled down on the floor side by side, our shoulders brushing lightly together. As we lay there, I glance over at Max. _It's so weird to think we are here. Don't get me wrong, I'm hella happy, it's just unexpected. I never thought I would see Max again when she left for Seattle. She came back to me when I needed her most._

"What are you staring at?" She questions suspiciously.

I shrug. "Dunno, the labels fallen off."

She nudges my leg with her foot. "And you call me a nerd."

"Because you are." I smirk.

Max puts on an expression of mock hurt, "I resent that remark." We lay there in silence for a while, reliving our childhood memories. "Chloe…"

I turn my head towards Max. "Yeah."

She takes my hand and intertwines our fingers. "I'm glad I came back to Arcadia."

 _So am I, Max. You don't even know how happy you have made me._ "Me too, Max. Me too."

* * *

 **Six months later – Arcadia Bay Beach**

"Come on, hippie." I shout behind me, Max running as fast as she can to catch up.

"Slow down, Chloe." She pants as we run along the beach.

My short faded blue hair whips around me in the wind, the sand and water cool under my bare feet. I glance over my shoulder at her. "Can't catch me." I sprint ahead, leaving Max in the dirt… or so I think.

"Got you." A victorious voice shouts out as I feel a weight at my back. I fall to the floor, sand thrown up into the air, spiraling around me. Max rolls off of me onto the sand, her cheeks flushed from running. We lay there side by side on the beach, staring up at the blue sky and trying to catch our breath. The cool water laps at our feet as the sun beats down on us.

"Max…" I pant, narrow my eyes suspiciously at her, "did you… use your rewind powers?"

She turns her head and smiles at me innocently. "Powers? What rewind powers? There is no such thing my dear Chloe?"

I roll my eyes and push her shoulder. "You so did, cheater."

Max's smile turns mischievous. "All's fair in love and war."

* * *

 **One Year Later – Streets of Arcadia**

I glance over to Max, who is chewing on her lip nervously. To ease her worries, I link our hands. "Dude, are you sure about this?"

She nods and swallows. "Yeah. It can't be that bad, can it? I mean, you got one and survived." _Max, you try to put on a brave face, but I can tell when you feel nervous._

"You don't have to…"

My words are cute off by the determination in her eyes. "I want to."

 _Max can be so stubborn sometimes._ "Gotcha, Super Max."

We enter the tattoo parlor, Max clutching onto a piece of paper in her hands. On it is a drawing of a butterfly with vibrant blue wings. She told me that she wanted a reminder of that day, the day she got her powers and saved me for the first time, the day we were reunited and set us down this path. That's how it all started after all… with a blue butterfly.

She is shaking slightly, so I squeeze her hand reassuringly. "Don't worry, Max. I'll be there the entire time."

* * *

 **One hour later**

"How does it look?" Max asks as she holds out her arm, on her wrist is the outline of the small butterfly. I never thought I'd see the day when Maxine Caulfield got a tattoo… then again a lot of the things I've experienced since she re-entered my life have been surreal.

I lean in and kiss her. "It looks hella cool."

Max smiles at my approval. "Good because it really hurt."

The tattoo artist walks over to us, "It'll look even cooler when we add the color. You were a trooper. You barely made a sound." They grin at her in admiration. "You've got some serious balls, girl."

She returns the grin. "Thanks."

The tattoo artist signals to me with their thumb. "I seem to remember Price here being more vocal."

I pout at being sold out. "Hey, no fair. I thought we said we wouldn't ever speak of that again."

They laugh, eyes glistening in amusement. "I never promised anything of the sort."

* * *

 **Three years later – Chloe and Max's House**

I flop down on the couch, rubbing my temples and sighing. _What a day._

"Tough day, huh?" I turn to the source of the voice to see Max leaning against the doorframe.

"Get your butt over here, Caulfield," I pat the space beside me. "I need my hipster." Max walks over and joins me on the couch. The second she sits down I launch myself at her.

"Chloe. Watch it," she yelps in shock as my body collides with hers.

I snuggle up to her, peppering her face with kisses. "I can't help it. You shouldn't be so damn cute." Max squirms underneath me, giggling as I kiss her. She has always been ticklish, knowledge I have often abused. After a few moments I relent, laying my head in her lap as she twirls a strand of my faded blue hair around her index finger just letting time pass us by. _I always enjoy these moments we share. It's never awkward. We can just sit here, enjoying each other's company._ I glance up at Max as she plays with my hair, "Let's have a movie night tonight. Just the two of us, just like old times."

She places a tender kiss on my forehead and nods. "Sounds good to me."

I jump up from the couch and examine our DVD collection, which I might add is one to be envied. I brush my fingers along the cases as I search for the right case. My hand stops and hovers over one of the cases as I look over my shoulder at Max, "Is Blade Runner ok?"

This suggestion makes her grin at me knowingly, her tone teasing, "Are we getting sentimental, Price?"

I pull out the case and start loading the DVD in the player, "Maybe…" I grab a blanket from the corner and throw it over Max, completely covering her as I make my way into the kitchen. "I think we might have some popcorn left. I'll go check." I kneel down and search the cupboards, looking for the popcorn. _Come on. Where is it? Aha! Score one for Chloe Price._ I make my way back into the room, the bag of popcorn clutched tightly in my hands. "Chloe find food." I grunt as I approach the couch.

Max giggles at my impression. "Ok, Cavewoman Chloe. Well done."

After placing the bowl down on the coffee table I jump onto the couch, nearly catapulting Max onto the floor, "Hey, watch it." She grumbles.

I can't help but laugh at her mildly annoyed expression, "You should have seen your face." Max pouts and turns away from me, refusing to meet my eyes. She is trying so damn hard to be angry with me, but she's kidding no-one. I wrap my arms around her and put on my best puppy dog eyes. "Don't pout, Max. I'm sorry," I know it's only a matter of time before she looks.

As predicted, Max sighs, "Fine, stop making me feel guilty." She turns back to face me and cuddles up to me. "God help me if you ever do something really bad. I can't resist the puppy dog eyes."

I smirk smugly. "I'll keep that in mind."

Max squints at me accusingly. "That doesn't give you a get out of jail free card to do whatever you want."

I hold up my hands defensively. "I promise I won't abuse my powers."

"Good," she announces, opening the bag of popcorn. "Or I might have to start abusing mine."

I stick out my tongue. "You are no fun."

Halfway through the film, I can feel Max's head slowly falling onto my shoulder. _She always falls asleep while watching movies._ I smile, switching off the TV and gently guide us into a laying position on the couch. She moves closer to me, wrapping her arms around me as she mutters in her sleep. I pull the blanket around us and brush a stray strand of hair from her face, bumping our foreheads together as my eyes begin to close.

* * *

 **Five years later.**

"Mom," a young girl with long blonde hair tugs at my sleeve impatiently. "Tell me a story."

I ruffle her hair, much to her protests. "Ok, one quick story, but then you have to promise to go to sleep straight after."

The girl nods eagerly, waiting for me to start. I can't help but grin at her excited expression, ready to get lost in a whole new world. I sit down on the bed and cross my legs, leaning my back against the wall. The girl crawls over to me and positions herself in my lap as I begin the story.

"Once upon a time, there were two pirates, Max the Marauder and Cut-throat Chloe. They were the most badass of all. They planned to travel the seas, looking for the most valuable and rare treasures you have ever seen. Along with their Captain, Wily William, they began their journeys. They terrorized the villains of Arcadia Bay, bringing justice, while also making a profit. Things were amazing."

The girl's eyes twinkle with delight as she imagined the scene vividly in her mind.

"One day, they were torn apart by cruel circumstances. Their ship was sunk and William… was never to be seen again. Max and Chloe tried to remain together, but they eventually drifted away, carried by the sea. Max ended up in a foreign land with no way to return home. She tried desperately to return, but it would take her five long years to finally make her way back. Chloe washed ashore on the beach of Arcadia Bay. She was rescued by a ruthless swashbuckler, Rachel the Ravager, with whom she traveled, waiting for the day Max would come back to her."

The girl tugs on my sleeve, "Mom."

"Yes, honey?"

She tilts her head to one side curiously, an inquisitive glint in her intelligent blue eyes. "She has my name… Rachel."

I smile fondly. "Yep."

Little Rachel's eyes widen in delight as she points to herself. "I'm named after a badass pirate?"

 _You could say that._ "Something like that." I chuckle.

It is almost scary how alike little Rachel is to her namesake sometimes, especially some of her mannerisms. Part of me likes to think that Rachel Amber is waiting around here, subtly influencing little Rachel's actions and behaviors like a mischievous auntie or something, teaching her all the things that would drive both Max and I crazy.

Little Rachel grins at me gleefully, as if the knowledge has changed her entire world, "Awesome." She clings onto me, waiting patiently for the story to continue. This is where I see both Max and I in her. She has the same sense of excitement and adventure as me, however she is patient like Max. If it were me, I would have sat there, complaining that we were taking too long chatting and that I wanted to know the end.

I take a deep breath and continue. "Fate smiled upon them as Max finally made her way back to Arcadia, but ended up getting tangled up in a duel to the death with one of the most notorious and dangerous pirates around, The Hipster Killer. Although she fought bravely, she did not stand any chance of winning. Just as it looked as if there was no hope, Cut-throat Chloe swooped in and saved her."

Little Rachel grins cheerfully. "Chloe saves the day."

I snuggle up closer to her, resting my chin on the top of her head. "They were unsure how to act around one another after the long time apart. Both had gone their separate ways and lived their own lives. There was a rift between them forged from heartbreak and loss, one which was not easily overcome. Nevertheless, they tried to reconnect. Chloe's friend, Rachel the Ravager, had gone missing six months ago and Chloe asked Max to help her. Max the Marauder of course said that she would help her, she was her first mate, her partner in crime." My lip quirks upwards as I remember that first week Max and I reunited.

* * *

" _ **I'm so glad you're my partner in crime."**_

 _ **I grin at Max cheekily. "As long as you're my partner in time."**_

 _ **She rolls her eyes at me in the darkness. "Insert groan here."**_

* * *

I am hit with a sudden wave of nostalgia as this memory washes over my mind, one of many I share with Max.

"In their search for Rachel they faced the deadly three fingered Frank, who held Cut-throat Chloe at knife point. Max would not allow her friend to be threatened and shot Frank with the special pistol Cut-throat Chloe had managed to steal from David the Dastardly, Chloe's new captain. No-one could ever replace Wily William. Chloe would only ever know one captain. However, there were no bullets. This would turn out to be a favorable events as eventually, the two would find an ally in Frank and his trusty dog, Pompidou."

Little Rachel looks at me excitedly, and offers me a toothy grin, "Oooh, a doggie."

I mentally kick myself for bringing up Pompidou. _Oh great. Now she's going to try and start up the dog conversation again. She has been talking about dogs non-stop for the past week. She won't give up until we get one. Quick Chloe, change the subject._

In an attempt to distract her, I clear my throat and swiftly steer the conversation back to the story.

"In a sudden turn of events, Max the Marauder had to save Chloe from certain death. Chloe got caught in a trap, with little hope of escape. She almost did not make it, but at the last second Max managed to free her from the trap, saving her from impending doom. This made their bond grow ever stronger. They broke into the headquarters of the biggest, baddest pirate gang in Arcadia Bay and found out some clues as to where they might find Rachel. They found several incoherent drawings, potentially maps, however they could not decipher them. It appeared that The Hipster Killer had something to do with this. Big surprise. Their investigation led them to many an exciting and life-threatening adventure, including breaking into the lair of The Hipster Killer. A tale for another time."

Little Rachel whines. "But mom, I want to hear it now."

I smile at her thirst for adventure, "Maybe tomorrow. I said a quick story tonight." She pouts, crossing her arms and squinting her eyes at me. _The same thing Max does._ I chuckle heartily and begin tickling her, causing her to squirm and shriek. I eventually relent. "I promise I will go into more detail another night. Don't you want to hear the ending?"

She nods firmly, her eyes pleading me to continue. "I do."

"During their adventures, Chloe and Max finally began to regain what they had lost. They laughed and cried together… loved and lost. Although the universe tried to tear them apart, they refused to give up. They started to fall in love, even though neither of them realized it at first. They were so dense, especially Max," I wink at her. "Max was hella dense."

Little Rachel's brow furrows in thought as she looks at me curiously. "Is Max mom?"

I place a finger to my lips. "My lips are sealed…" She pouts again, crossing her arms at my reluctance to divulge my secret. _Oh look, its mini-Max again._ I offer her a secretive smile, "Fine, but it has to be our secret," she nods as I lean in a whisper. "It is the very same Max."

Little Rachel grins, leaning back on me. "I won't tell."

"You had better not, Max might hit me if she knew I said that. Anyway, back on with the story. Finally, they were to face the most perilous of their adventures and were to discover the real mastermind behind everything. The monstrous man known only as Goatee. He had no morals and would willingly set an entire town on fire just for the fun of it."

Little Rachel gasps, bringing a hand to her mouth. _Damn it, Rachel is so cute. I just want to squish her cheeks._

"In their search, the two were captured by Goatee. He took them aboard his legendary ship, the Tornado. Max and Chloe were outnumbered. They fought bravely, but it appeared that they would not make it. Chloe was pinned by Goatee with little hope of success. Out of nowhere, Rachel the Ravager appeared, hair whipping in the wind. She pushed Goatee into the sea. He was never heard of again."

Little Rachel nods, satisfied with his fate. "Good riddance." _She has a strong moral compass, something else she gets from Max._

"Now, they had control of the Tornado, the fastest ship to ever sail the seven seas. It was theirs… however, Chloe now realized that there were more important things in life than treasure or adventure and that what she wanted was beside her all the time. Do you know what that was?"

Little Rachel strokes her chin, thinking hard. "Um… her partner in crime."

"Got it in one," I grin at her perceptiveness. That trait definitely didn't come from Max, who is the most oblivious person I have ever met. I'm surprised we came this far, to be honest. If I hadn't dared her to kiss me all those years ago, then I wonder if anything would have ever come about between us.

"Max was all she ever needed. She hadn't realized it before, but now it was so clear to her. Chloe decided to hang up her hook and settle down with Max. Rachel, still on the hunt for adventure, decided that she would take the ship and, along with three fingered Frank and Pompidou, they would find their fortune. Chloe and Rachel went their separate ways, in search of a new adventure… love." The ending to this tale is bittersweet for me, even after all these years the thought of Rachel fate still made my heart heavy. I would have happily given up our relationship and many other things just to see her alive one last time… to tell her that I am glad she came into my life.

When I finally come back to reality, little Rachel has a troubled expression on her face. "What's wrong?"

She bites her lip, worrying it between her teeth and her brow furrowed as she asks. "Does Chloe ever see Rachel again?"

I smile at her tenderly, wrapping my arms around her and squeezing her gently. "Unfortunately no. Their paths were never to cross again, but Chloe still had the amazing memories of Rachel with her. They kept her going through everything."

Little Rachel shuffles in my lap to get a better look at me. "What was she like?"

 _Now, that is a difficult question. How does one define Rachel Amber?_ "She isn't so easily defined. She was a complex individual, everyone either loved her or was jealous of her. She always got into trouble, but she was a great friend to Cut-throat Chloe."

Little Rachel is silent for a while. I can almost hear the cogs spinning as she sits there. Eventually, she meets my eyes. "Do you miss her?"

My eyes widen a fraction at her question. "Hey, who says I'm Cut-throat Chloe?"

She stares at me defiantly. "I'm not stupid, mom."

I sigh, squeezing her tighter, my voice little more than a whisper as Rachel's smiling face and teasing voice enters my mind. "I know kiddo. I do miss her, a lot. I think you guys would have got on well. You would've gotten into all sorts of trouble."

She holds onto one of my arms. "I wish she was here."

I can't help but smile at the irony of the entire situation… my own child stealing my catchphrase. I untangle myself from her. "Now, bed." Little Rachel yawns and crawls under the covers. Unlike both Max and myself, she always goes to bed on time. "Goodnight." I whisper.

"Night," she mumbles as she rests her head on her pillow. "Remember, you promised to tell me more another day."

I tuck her in and kiss her on the forehead. "I promise."

As her eyes begin to close, I back out of the room and flick the light switch off. Arms are suddenly wrapped around my waist as someone leans against my back. I shake my head and smile. "How long have you been there?"

Max moves around to face me, a smug smirk on her face at remaining undetected. "A while. I heard the story."

A blush forms on my cheeks, one I try to hide from Max. She grins as she enters little Rachel's room and kisses her cheek. "Goodnight sweetie. I love you."

Little Rachel opens her eyes a fraction, struggling to remain awake. "I love you too."

Max grins as she exits the room and joins me back in the corridor, "You still remain the best storyteller in Arcadia." She comments as we lightly walk hand in hand down the corridor to our bedroom at the end of the hall. We quickly get changed and flop down onto the bed, snuggled up underneath a blanket facing each other. I rest my forehead against hers, gazing deeply into her blue eyes. She leans over and kisses me tenderly. "I love you, Chloe Price, or is it Cut-throat Chloe now?"

I smirk. "It's always been Cut-throat Chloe. I love you too, Max the Marauder."

Max grabs hold of my hand, squeezing it and places another kiss on my lips… then another and another... _It took us so long to get to this point, too long._ I tilt my head, shuffling closer to bridge the gap between us as our lips move in sync to a rhythm only we know. Time seems to stand still as we hide under the blanket, lost in one another as our lips collide, each time sweeter than the last. When the universe refuses to lend you the time, you make it in moments like these.

 _Now… we are making up for lost time._

* * *

 **Now, I am drowning in fluff. Damnit. This is the sort of ending I wanted. I'll just insert this into the plot and everything will be good. So, there we go guys. I hope you enjoyed the story. Stay safe out there, have an awesome day and maybe I shall see you in another story.**


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